Medical safety
Having a healthy and safe week at camp starts at home! The Woodlands health team wants to partner with you to ensure your camper has an unforgettable time at camp for all the right reasons!
before camp
If your camper shows signs of illness before camp, please keep them at home and notify our office (706-865-0853 or office@woodlandscamp.org). Before your camper can check-in to camp, they must be fever-free without taking any fever-reducing medication (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, etc) for 24-hours.
If your camper has been prescribed an antibiotic, they can check-in to camp once they have been on their antibiotic for 24-hours AND are fever-free. This greatly reduces the spread of illness at camp. If your camper has a non-contagious illness requiring antibiotics (like an earache or skin infection), they can check-in to camp at the normal time and place. Please update your camper’s health form through the parent portal with any pertinent information that our health team needs to know.
during camp
Should your camper get a minor scrape or bruise, you will not receive a phone call from the nurse. If your camper gets injured, has an emergency, needs to go to the doctor, has to stay in the clinic for any reason, or needs to be picked up from camp for health reasons, your camper’s emergency contact will be notified as quickly as possible by a nurse.
If your camper has a sustained fever over 99.4, they will be kept in the clinic for further treatment and evaluation. We will rejoin them with their cabin if/when they are fever free and feeling better to do so. If your camper has a sustained fever of >101 degrees, their emergency contact will be informed and arrangements for pick-up will be made.
If you will be out of town or unreachable while your camper is at camp, please make sure to add an alternative emergency contact to your camper’s health form on their camper profile through the parent portal.
-
Woodlands has an amazing team of registered nurses and health assistants (nursing students) on site for every week of camp, as well as a physician on-call. Our on-call physician acts as the medical director of camp, providing yearly review of our policies and treatment protocols. Our nurses and health team are expertly trained in the unique aspects of camp nursing.
-
Click here to go to our medication info page!
-
Don’t forget to pack a reusable water bottle for your camper! Educate your camper to carry their water bottle with them around camp, and to refill it frequently with water throughout the day. Often, dehydration presents itself as a headache or stomachache.
Camp Medical Policies
-
Parents/Guardians: must contact our Healthcare Manager, Camden (cmichaud@woodlandscamp.org), at least two weeks prior to coming to camp to see if your camper meets our diabetic criteria.
Campers with diabetes…
Must be diagnosed for at least one year or more prior to camp.
Must be "well-controlled" with consistent glucose levels prior to camp based on your camper’s most recent A1C level. We require proof of an A1C of 7.4% or less within the timeframe of the three months prior to your camper’s week of camp.
Must know their high and low symptoms and be willing to tell someone if they are feeling symptomatic.
Must not need any regular middle of the night care (blood sugar checks, insulin doses).
Must check their BS at mealtimes and before bed and report to the health team (with additional checks, if necessary). We do document BS levels and insulin doses for our records.
We understand that some campers are fairly self-sufficient and others need more help. We are happy to help campers calculate carbs and give insulin as long as the camper is willing to communicate with the nurses and "having to check in with the nurse" doesn't bother them. Some campers bring an extra glucometer to keep in the clinic and one to keep with them for convenience, but this is not required. We also have a refrigerator to keep insulin and any extra supplies. Keeping snacks, glucose tabs, etc. with them and in their cabin is permitted, as well.
Camp is definitely a more active environment than school, so please keep that in mind when…
Discussing camp with your camper’s doctor (often, a basal and ratio adjustment is needed to keep-up with the high activity level of camp).
Adjusting your camper’s Continuous Glucose Monitor’s (CGM) settings for camp.
Sending instructions for correction doses, carb ratios, etc. for their week of camp.
Packing for camp - Please pack snacks for your camper to have in the cabin at night. We often find that a bedtime snack is helpful for our diabetic campers to keep a safe blood sugar level during the night.
-
It is our desire that every child have an opportunity to attend Woodlands. However, some physical and/or mental limitations may prevent a child from having a safe and enjoyable week at camp.
Regarding physical and/or mental disabilities or limitations: We ask that each child have the ability to perform all activities of daily living independently (dressing, eating, toileting, and hygiene). We do have handicap access to most buildings but please notify our office at least two weeks BEFORE camper arrival to be sure we can safely accommodate your child.
Regarding mental limitations or developmental delays: Each camper needs to have the ability to understand and follow rules and instructions independently. Campers participate in a group atmosphere, and 1-on-1 supervision is not provided. Many activities at camp have an inherent risk associated with them (zip-line, swimming, blob, etc.) and require a cognitive understanding of procedures, safety instructions, and potential dangers before participating. Your child will be expected to have the ability to independently follow these instructions for their safety.
If it is determined upon arrival that your camper does not meet these criteria and will be unsafe for camp activities, you will be notified to come pick up your camper, forfeiting their registration fees.
If your child needs assistance in any of these areas and you are unsure whether your child can safely attend camp or if you have a medical need, please contact our Healthcare Manager, Camden, at cmichaud@woodlandscamp.org.