Preparing Your Child for a Safe and Healthy Camp Experience

SUMMER OVERNIGHT CAMP

Download the SpringHill Overnight Summer Camp Medication Policies and Guidelines PDF here.

• How do I tell you about my camper’s medical needs?

  It is important that you communicate your camper’s medical needs on their Health Forms. These become available to you a month prior to your camper’s week of camp. They can be found in your account. Please have all of your camper’s medications (including daily over-the-counter medications) registered for your camper prior to camp check in.

  For things to move smoothly, it is best that any last-minute changes that come up for your child’s medication be reflected on their Health Forms prior to check in. Our Health Services team will go over all registered medications with you at check in. This includes medication name, dosage and administration times.

• Where can my camper keep their meds?

  All of your camper’s medications will be kept in our camp infirmaries. The only exception being Emergency or Rescue medications. This rule also applies to staff, so there is no possibility of a camper getting into a staffer’s luggage and accessing medication.

  Emergency or Rescue medications are always kept on your camper’s counselor. These medications include EpiPens, diabetic supplies, and rescue inhalers. Any other medications you would like to be considered must be approved by our Health Services Staff. If you have further questions regarding this, please email us.

  Your camper will have access to the Infirmaries on camp if a need for the occasional medication arises. We stock a variety of over-the-counter medications.

• Can my camper bring over the counter medication?

  Please leave all as needed over-the-counter medications at home. If your camper is in need of a daily over-the-counter medication, such as an allergy pill, please add it to their medical form and bring it with you to check in.

  We are stocked with most over-the-counter medications for as needed, occasional use for your camper.

• How should I pack my camper’s meds?

  All of your camper’s prescription medications must be in their original containers with the prescription label.

  Please DO NOT place your camper’s medications in a plastic ziploc bag or into a weekly medication container. If your camper’s medications are not in their labeled medication bottle, they will not be accepted.

  We still need a prescription label with dosage instructions for boxed medications like inhalers, EpiPens and prescription creams. You will need to pack the box or ask your pharmacy to print you an additional label that you can stick to the inhaler, tube or packet.

  We are required to administer prescription medications exactly as stated on the label of the medication bottle or blister pack. Handwritten directions on prescription bottles will NOT be followed if they differ from the original prescription label.

• What else should I know about medications that need to be distributed at camp?

  We cannot administer prescription medications that are:

  • Expired: All medications must be currently valid, anything expired will not be accepted.
    • Please make sure that your camper’s emergency or rescue medications are also up to date. We will not accept them if they are expired and do not want your camper at camp without it.
    • Sometimes parents keep old prescription bottles for the purpose of traveling and refill with the camper’s current medication. If this bottle’s expiration date is past, these medications will not be accepted, even if the pills inside the bottle are from a recent prescription.
  • Prescribed to other people: Medication must be prescribed to the camper only and not other family members.
  • Compounded or mixed at home: We can administer medications that have been compounded or mixed by a pharmacy (as long as they are properly labeled), but we cannot administer medications that have been mixed or compounded at home.
• My camper has a medication that is to be administered via injection. Can this be done at camp?

  If your camper requires injections while at camp, they must be capable of administering this to themselves. If your camper cannot administer their injections independently, they will not be accepted at check in.

  If you have further questions regarding this, please email us.

• My camper is diabetic and will need glucose monitoring and insulin. How is this handled at camp?

  It is highly recommended by our Health Services Team that your camper have a continuous glucose monitoring system, like a Dexcom, along with an insulin pump while on camp.

  It is required that your camper be independent with carb counting and administering their own insulin.

  Our infirmaries are supplied with up to date and working glucometers that can be used in the case of emergency.

  All insulin and diabetic supplies must be kept in the infirmaries while your camper is at camp. This does not include the insulin currently in your camper’s pump or what has been deemed as a rescue or emergency medication.

• I typically give my camper a higher dose than recommended for their weight of an over-the-counter medication. Can this be done at camp?

  We apologize, but state law requires that we follow all dosing guidelines and prescription instructions. If your camper needs to take a higher dose than the recommended dose for an over-the-counter medication, please bring a physician note to check in.

  This commonly becomes an issue with melatonin. Please check your melatonin packaging and see what the recommended dosage is for your camper. If they need to take more, please provide a physician note.

• I typically administer my camper’s prescription medication differently than stated on the prescription label. Can you do that at camp?

  We apologize, but unfortunately, we cannot. State law requires that we administer prescription medication exactly as stated on the prescription label. This includes administration time, dosage and frequency, especially for medications that are considered as needed. Handwritten instructions that differ from the prescription label will not be followed. A physician note must be provided at check-in for administration instructions that differ from the prescription label.

• When are my camper’s medications administered?

  Camper medications are distributed at breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime. We start administering camper medications on Sunday at dinner time till Friday at lunch time. If your camper requires a different time, you may indicate that on their health form when you register their medication.

  Make sure that you communicate with your camper about when they will have their medications scheduled. It is common that we run into situations where campers want medications to be administered at different times than what their parents registered them for. If this is the case, our Health Services staff will call you and need your permission to have things changed.

  As part of our safety protocols, your camper will be asked their name and birthdate at the window prior to receiving their medications. It will also be confirmed with their counselor that they are who they say they are. Your camper will then be asked if the medication being given to them looks like their medications. If there are any questions or concerns by either the Health Services Staff, counselor or camper, the medication will not be administered, and parent or guardian will be contacted.

• My camper uses essential oils. Can that be administered?

  Due to the large number of medications that are tracked and administered during camp, we do not administer essential oils, unless they are prescribed by a physician. These will need a prescription label with dosing and administration instructions from a pharmacy. Please do not send these in your camper’s luggage.

• What about CBD oil?

  Just like essential oils, we do not administer CBD oil to campers, unless prescribed by a physician. Please do not pack in your camper’s luggage.

• What about melatonin drops?

  If your camper will require melatonin while on camp, please provide melatonin tablets, chewables or gummies. Drops will not be accepted.

• How do I get my camper’s meds back?

  At pick up, your camper’s medications will be packed and labeled with your camper’s name and camp center. Please check the bag and make sure that all of your camper’s meds are there. Empty prescription bottles will be kept and returned. Empty over-the-counter bottles will be tossed.

  Please note that your camper’s emergency or rescue medications will still be with their counselor, until the minute you take your camper home. It is your responsibility to remember to get those from your camper’s counselor.