HEALTH AND WELLNESS

HEALTH RELATED MEDICAL CONCERNS/SPECIAL HEALTH NEEDS

✓ The Camper Health Form must be completed and turned in prior to your camper’s first day. If we do not have this form on file, your child will not be able to participate in camp.

✓ All campers must be up to date on all vaccinations required for school. If they are not, we require a physician’s letter with explanation prior to the first day of camp.

✓ All camp participants must be toilet trained and be able to use toilet facilities independently.

✓ Any child with special health needs, as indicated during registration, are assessed and accommodated on an individual basis.

✓ If a child becomes ill while at camp, he/she will be isolated from other campers, supervised by staff, parents will be called, and the camper must be picked up immediately to minimize risk to other campers and staff.

✓ Campers who have a contagious illness will need to stay home until they are symptom-free without medication for 72 hours or until a doctor's notice releases the child to return to camp.

✓ If a child attending camp is diagnosed with a contagious illness, parents will be notified by letter so you may watch your child for similar symptoms.

✓ If your child has lice, you will need to keep them at home until they are lice-free

In Case Of Emergency

In the event of an injury, staff will take necessary steps to keep children calm. Staff will seek emergency medical care as warranted. The following actions may include but are not limited to:

1. A trained staff member will provide immediate first aid.

2. Camp Supervisor will contact a parent or guardian.

3. If a parent or guardian cannot be reached, we will attempt to contact others listed on your registration form.

4. In the case of serious injury, emergency medical assistance will be contacted (911 will be called).

5. If we are unable to reach you or the authorized person on your medical release form, the emergency EMT staff will transport the child to the nearest hospital.

When emergency medical staff warrants that the child be taken to the nearest hospital, transport fees will be the responsibility of the parents or legal guardian. We will contact you and inform you of the EMS staff recommendation. A PRNR staff member will remain with the child until the parent(s), or another authorized adult arrives. Sarasota County staff may not transport program participants.

MEDICATION POLICY/PROCEDURE

Campers may not keep medication(s) in their backpacks, lunch boxes, or on their person at any time. Medication(s) must be kept in a locked container, onsite, in the camp office.

Sarasota County Summer Camp Programs will keep on file the following:

• Authorization forms for each medication, which require a parent’s and physician’s signature. Complete form includes: o The child’s name, address, and birth date. o The drug name and prescribed dose. o The method of administration (oral, topical, epi-pen, etc.). o The time to be self-administered. o The side effects. o The prescriber’s name and address. o Medication(s) will be stored onsite, in the camp office, in a locked box or container. Staff do not have the ability to keep medication cold – therefore if a medication requires refrigeration – the parent should provide an insulated bag with effective cooling accessories (such as ice packs). insulated bag with effective cooling accessories (such as ice packs).

• Prescribed inhalers, Epi-pens or other prescribed medications with parent’s consent and doctor’s signature. Medications must be in their original container and clearly labeled.

Summer Camp Staff and Program Coordinators will make all necessary efforts to ensure the timely and proper self-administration of camper medication(s). However, staff are not responsible for lost, stolen, or spoiled medications, or improper or untimely self-administration.

Parent Responsibilities:

It is the parent’s responsibility to inform the Camp Supervisor upon arrival, on the 1st day the camper attends the program, that their child has a prescribed inhaler, epi-pen, or other prescribed medication. The medication must be provided to the Camp Supervisor to be inaccessible to other children. Medication forms are required to be signed by both the parent and physician before the program starts. It is also the parent’s responsibility to inform and instruct the camper who must self-administer their own medication how to do so properly prior to the first day of camp.

Staff Responsibilities:

Medication will be self-administered by camper, but under supervision by a camp staff member. Staff will keep accurate documentation of all medications administered by completing the Health Log,which will be kept in the Program Coordinator’s Office. Individual administration records shall include:

• The camper’s name, date, and time the medication was administered.

• The dose that was administered.

• Any comments

• Parents shall be notified of any administration errors by telephone and documented in the Camp Health Log.

Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Summer Camp Parent Handbook

Sunscreen

Camp staff recommend that participants wear sunscreen each day. It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to provide sunscreen for their child. We do not apply sunscreen to the child, nor can we assist the child in their application. We do, however, take sunscreen breaks to reapply throughout the day. Our goal is to protect each child and prevent any occurrence of sunburn.