Safety at Camp: Five Tips For Keeping Kids With Food Allergies Safe At Camp

It’s officially summer! Time for sunny days, rising temperatures and summer camps for kiddos! If you have kids with food allergies, the thought of sending them away to summer camp may give you palpitations, but don’t worry. Take the time to prepare them for their summer away from home with these tips:

• Teach kids to be aware. Kids with food allergies know to ask an adult for help if they begin to experience an allergic reaction. But, do they know ALL the symptoms of a reaction? There’s only one way to find out—teach them! Kids should know that a tingly sensation in the mouth, itchy skin, hives, swelling, wheezing and a stomach ache are all signs of an allergic reaction. If they know how to spot these symptoms, they’ll be able to get help faster.

• Talk about Epi-Pens. It never hurts to remind kids one more time about the proper way to administer epinephrine in case of an emergency. Hold a quick review session with your kids with food allergies prior to leaving for camp, and don’t forget to make sure that the caretakers at the camp know how to do it, too!

• Practice reading the labels. Before kids with food allergies go off to camp, teach them to always read food labels before they eat something. When kids are at home, parents tend to take on this responsibility so kids get in the habit of not having to do it on their own. However, it’s important that they make it part of their routine before they go to camp.

• Buy allergy bracelets or necklaces. Since you won’t be around to protect your kiddos, make sure that every caretaker they come into contact with knows about their allergies. The best way to do this is with allergy bracelets and necklaces. Ours are designed to be kid-friendly AND brightly colored to grab the attention of every adult in the room.

• Make a doctor’s appointment. It may be wise to stop in for a quick visit with your kiddo’s doctor before camp begins. Talk about the camp that he or she is going to, and ask the doctor if there are any additional precautions that you should take. Doctors know best, so it always helps to consult with one!

Are you sending your kids off to camp this summer? How will you prepare them to stay safe? Share your tips in the comments below!

xo

Iris

Iris Shamus Wife, mother to three awesome kids and founder/CEO of AllerMates. Based in New York, Iris and her team create helpful content, answer emails, ship their products and obsess every day about keeping kids safe.