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Summer camps are a great way to learn something new—and not just for
kids. One thing that parents of children with food allergies want camp
caregivers to learn is how to prevent and treat allergic reactions.
“Because summer camp is a more ‘temporary’ situation than school, it is a
little more stressful,” points out Stephanie Hiss, mother of a 5-year-old
son who is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.
But no one should have to fear even a simple rash, let alone anaphylactic
shock. The key is education and awareness.
Increase Awareness
To increase awareness of her son’s allergies, Hiss “bought stickers off the
Internet that I put on [him with] his name and ‘allergic to peanuts and
treenuts.’”
Amy Boyle’s son Matthew, 6, “wears a Medic Alert bracelet all the time.” And
he likes to wear his “No Peanuts, Please” t-shirt from Jeeto in new
situations. “Both of these are obvious reminders for people who are just
getting to know Matthew and his food allergies,” says Boyle.
These visual reminders give children and parents added peace of mind during
new camp experiences.
Educate Your Camp Counselors
Educating caregivers to recognize the signs and know the appropriate steps
to take may save your child’s life.
“If someone goes into anaphylaxis, it needs to be dealt with immediately.
Time is of the essence and can be the difference between life and death,”
stresses Edward Kassab, president and CEO of AT Home Care and father of
three.
Recognizing that classroom teachers are present with students more than
school nurses, Kassab and AT Home Care facilitated a training session on
food allergies for teachers at his children’s school this past spring.
Although this is probably not possible in many camp settings, parents can
find other ways to help counselors learn about food allergies.
Hiss loans an instructional video from EpiPen for staff training. The video
shows how to recognize signs of an allergic reaction and how to inject a
dose of epinephrine with an EpiPen to reverse a severe reaction while
further medical help is being sought.
Practical experience with the steps is key. “The first thing I do in any
situation where someone else will be Matthew’s caregiver is train them on
how to use the EpiPen,” says Boyle. “I have a trainer, [an empty EpiPen for
practicing with,] but we also save the expired ones and let people practice
on a piece of fruit. That way they get the idea of what it would be like
with a needle and actual medicine in it.”
Since Matthew has a range of reactions to different nuts, says Boyle, “I
also educate them about what to look for in a reaction and when to start
with Benadryl over using the EpiPen immediately. I usually share an article
that gives examples of what a child having a reaction might say to describe
it.” (See “Learn More,” page 23.)
Enlist Kids’ Help
Talking to your children about their allergies can empower them to pass
their knowledge on.
Two Virginia moms of boys with peanut allergies, author Stacy Fisher and
illustrator Amy Paner, created hope from fear with a children’s book, “No
Nuts for Nutty,” available on lulu.com. “We hope this book will start
conversations between you and your child,” says Paner. She shared the story
of Nutty, a squirrel allergic to nuts, with her son’s preschool class.
If you’ve “trained” your kids and developed a school-year routine, says
Kassab, you can apply that during the summer as well. “It becomes part of
yours and the kid’s life, so you go through the same routine you do every
day. Make sure you give them safe snacks, EpiPens and back-up are packed,
don’t eat anything unless we have packed it for you, et cetera.”
Have Back-up Foods
Extra precautions provide extra defense. “I always double check all food
that will be served,” explains Boyle. “I provide safe alternatives for
Matthew. If I cannot read the food label on what they are serving, then I
send food from home that I know is safe. I keep safe, homemade cupcakes in
the freezer at home, so sending a treat to camp, a birthday party or school
is easy.
“Most places we have been are wonderfully accommodating,” concludes Boyle.
“And if they are not, or we do not feel like they truly understand, then it
is not worth the risk of sending him there.”
Kimberli Russ Vida is a freelance writer from Richmond. Although her three children do not have food allergies, her husband is allergic to peanuts, chocolate and gum.