Healthcare at Camp

Camper and Staff Healthcare Policy Regarding Illness

For the protection of other children and staff, sick children or staff must stay at home. Please review the specific guidelines below.  We do not have the facilities to give comfortable care to children or staff who are contagious or not feeling well enough to participate fully in group activities. If a child arrives at camp feeling sick, we will immediately call the caregivers to pick them up.

In all cases of communicable disease or diarrhea, please notify the Camp Director or our healthcare director at 781-329-8549. This will alert us to the possibility of similar symptoms in other children or staff and prompt us to take appropriate precautions.

Fever

• An elevation of body temperature above normal ( oral 100.4ºF ) AND accompanied by behavior changes, stiff neck, difficulty breathing, rash, sore throat, and/or other signs or symptoms of illness; or inability to participate.

• Unable to participate in routine activities or needs more care than can be provided by the staff.

• Should not return until after 24 hours without the aid of antipyretics (fever reducers).

Diarrhea

• Diarrhea is defined as an increased number of stools compared with a child's normal pattern, along with decreased stool form and/or stools that are watery, bloody, or contain mucus.

• Exclude for 24 hours after diarrhea stops, or follow specific disease exclusion if the pathogen is known (norovirus, salmonella, etc.), or until a medical exam indicates it is not due to a communicable disease.

• The camp healthcare director will consult with the local board of public health for outbreaks.

Vomiting

• The child has vomited two or more times in the previous 24 hours.

• Exclude for 24 hours after the last episode of vomiting.

• If it is NOT communicable, the family and their clinician will need to discuss managing continued vomiting.

Respiratory

• Respiratory infections are common. If the child does not have a fever or does not appear to have decreased activity or other symptoms, the child doesn't need to stay home.

• Respiratory hygiene and etiquette should be promoted.

Please See COVID Policy page for information about camp COVID policies.

Our healthcare supervisor oversees medication administration.

 All prescription medications:

• must be in their original container

• with the pharmacy label showing the prescription number, date filled, physician's name, name of the medication, directions for use, and the patient's name.

All over-the-counter medication:

• must be in the original container, with your child's name clearly marked.  

      Before any medication can be administered the parent must give written authorization via the medical administration form.

Please apply both sunscreen and bug spray to your camper before they arrive at camp.

Please send your camper with their own labeled supply of sunscreen and insect repellent so that they may reapply during the day.  We do have a supply of sunscreen and bug spray; however, if there is a certain brand that you like to use, it would be best for your child to have their own supply from home.

Brands we may supply to your camper:

• Banana Boat- Sunscreen

• Coppertone- Sunscreen

• OFF!- Bug spray

We will reapply sunscreen and insect repellent during the day, specifically after time spent in the water. Younger campers will receive assistance to reapply.

When we anticipate extremely high temperatures, the safety of our campers and staff is our top priority, and we take several steps to keep everyone safe, healthy, and cool.

Here are the things we do to accommodate for extreme heat:

1. Promote Hydration

• Extra water is made available and easily accessible in locations they may not normally be

• Build in scheduled water breaks every 15-30 minutes minimum

• Encourage campers to refill water bottles at every transition and constantly check when they need refills.

2. Adjust Activities

• Avoid high-exertion activities (e.g., hiking, games, biking) between 12 PM–3 PM.

  • Even is something is scheduled, it's modified to be less intense.

• Shaded locations are used and programming is rotated into indoor/covered space.

•  Replace intense activities with water games, storytelling, crafts, or STEM in the shade.

3. Increase Opportunities for Water-Based Cooling

• Additional swim or splash time is added for all groups where possible.

• Sprinklers, hose stations, or sponges are available for cool-down games.

4. Rest & Observe

• Staff look for signs of heat exhaustion: headache, dizziness, nausea, or unusual fatigue.

• "Cool Down Zones" (shady rest stations with seating and water) are set up at each program area.

• Staff rotate in pairs to help monitor each other's energy and decision-making.

5. Communicate

• Directors must check in with groups mid-morning and early afternoon to assess heat exposure.

• Any health concerns are reported to the Health Care Supervisor immediately.

• Have a heat safety huddle with staff each morning.

6. Adjust for Daily Transportation

• Each bus monitor will be provided with a cooler and misting fans.

• Cooler are be stocked prior to afternoon transportation with ice water and towels in the cooler and ice water.

• Ice will be provided

• Spray bottles are filled and ready for afternoon transportation

• Bus monitors ensure that all windows are down on the buses for maximum air flow

• All campers get on the bus in the afternoon with full water bottles

As we all know, accidents and injuries occur at summer camp. Our healthcare team is there to help! A healthcare supervisor is on the property Monday through Friday during the summer. In addition, staff members are trained in first aid procedures consistent with American Camp Association requirements.

Minor injuries are expected at camp. As we run and play in the wilderness, minor scrapes and bruises are part of our camp experience. Camp staff will treat minor cuts and scrapes to ensure campers can get back to playing as soon as they are able. 

Camp staff will fill out a “bumps and bruises” form to send home with the camper so family members know about the care provided. Please check backpacks and lunch boxes regularly.

If campers need care beyond a simple Band-Aid, they are brought to the Hale Day Camp Office or Wellness Center, where they will be seen by either our camp EMT or our camp healthcare director.  All treatment provided is documented in the camp healthcare log.  Guardians will be contacted via phone by a member of the healthcare team. 

You can expect to hear from the camp healthcare or leadership team if your camper experiences:

• A significant bump or jolt to the head.

• Any visible marks (including scrapes, bruises, rashes, or bumps) caused by a minor injury, especially those that were not present at the beginning of the camp day. 

• A twisted joint (ankle/wrist/knee etc...)

• Any skin irritations caused by the environment or by a product used by the camper.

Or

• Anything that warrants guardians to pay extra attention to symptoms that may develop at home. 

In case of injury or acute illness, our emergency plan is to use the nearest best-equipped facility. Our team will call emergency services as needed. We will do our best to contact the caregivers immediately to provide updates. It is mandatory that we have, on file, an emergency medical treatment release for your child. 

Hale’s consulting physician is Michael Schusterman, M.D., Dedham Medical Associates, Dedham, MA.

Being an outdoor camp, we do run the risk of having campers and staff exposed to the elements and wildlife around us. Ticks are in the woods at Hale and we want to provide some helpful information for folks to learn about ticks and best practices for regularly checking for ticks.

• Ticks are small parasites that feed on warm-blooded hosts, such as humans. Ticks can be found in wooded areas and are difficult to see due to their small size. A tick bite can infect humans with diseases such as Lyme disease, so it is important to check for ticks and remove any ticks latched onto you as soon as possible. 

• As ticks are attached to you, they feed on your blood and grow in size, and may be easier to see. However, there are ways to spot ticks before they bite you or become engorged with blood. Examine clothing, hair, and skin after spending time in a woodsy area. 

• Ticks prefer areas with soft skin and good blood flow such as:

  1. Scalp

  2. Back

  3. Between legs

  4. Legs (especially behind the knees)

  5. Belly button

  6. In or around ears

  7. Under arms

  8. Around waist

• How to remove a tick

  1. Use tweezers to grasp the tick’s mouthparts and slowly pull it out of the skin

1. 1. DO NOT PULL ABRUPTLY, as this may tear apart the tick and leave the mouth parts embedded in the skin.

   2. The tick may be stuck, so pull it out steadily and be patient.

   3. DO NOT SQUEEZE, as this may burst the tick and release infective fluids into the wound.

   4. DO NOT APPLY substances such as petroleum jelly or bug spray while the tick is attached.

2. Clean with soap and water after removal.

3. Dispose of the tick using one of the following methods:

   1. Flush down toilet

   2. Place tick in a cup of rubbing alcohol

   3. Place the  tick in a sealable plastic bag and dispose of using an outdoor garbage bin.

Sources

https://phc.amedd.army.mil/PHC%20Resource%20Library/HowtoCheckforTicksandRemoval_FS_18-092-0919.pdf

https://www.afcurgentcare.com/worcester/patient-services/tick-removal/

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7234-tick-bites

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/index.html