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Why Summer Camp Physicals Are Important
Summer is just around the corner, and kids are gearing up for camp and every outdoor
activity imaginable. Who doesn’t love finally being out of school and able to bask in the
beautiful sunny weather? But before camp rolls around, there are errands to run and
paperwork to prepare. Parents, you may have noticed summer camps generally require
children to have a physical done prior to attending and for good reason! Here’s why:
Ensuring Good Physical Health
Running around outside can bring about some unexpected issues, such as allergies, asthma,
and heat stroke. Summer camp physicals look into your child’s health history and current
health to ensure something like asthma doesn’t interfere with play time. If your child has
any pre-existing health conditions, your physician or doctor performing the physical needs
to know to best prepare your child for summer camp. Also, if your child needs to have
something like an EpiPen or inhaler on hand, the nurse and general camp staff will need to
have this knowledge on file. Also, take a minute to refresh your kids on how to use any
medical devices – better safe than sorry!
Additionally, your physician will screen for health conditions you may not have known
your child to have previously. Kids grow so fast – it’s important to keep up with any
changes your child may be experiencing health wise. Plus, the likelihood of illness being
passed around at summer camp is decreased greatly when all the kids hoping to attend
have had a mandatory physical.
Reducing Risk of Injury
Moms and dads, we all know how it goes. Kids are often little balls of energy, and
sometimes, there are little accidents waiting to happen everywhere in their wake.
Unfortunately, we can’t always prevent bad things from happening. Thus, any recent
injuries like a concussion, sprain, or broken bones should be noted during a summer camp
physical. When at camp, the summer excitement of being with everyone can be too
appealing. You don’t want your little loved ones running on a hurt ankle or performing any
activity that could further cause harm or re-injury to an injury previously sustained.
Here’s a summary of what will happen during the physical exam:
Review of medical history
Complete physical examination
Review of vaccination reports
Administration of missing vaccines
Urgent care for existing acute illnesses or injuries
Again, not all accidents are preventable because things do just happen, but we want to do
everything in our power to keep everyone safe and happy during summer camp!
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