For residential summer camps, the AAP recommends that a registered nurse be on site for camps with more than 50 children and that there is supervision by a physician including written protocols and access for consultation. Each camper and staff member should have a comprehensive examination by a physician and completion of an AAP or ACA health form before attending camp. This form includes a health history, immunization record, and list of allergies. The camp medical personnel must keep a file on each child, including this health form signed by the parent or guardian, a consent for emergency treatment, and an emergency contact. An infirmary or health care shelter is required by the ACA for residential camps, with at least one bed per 50 campers and staff.
All medications are to be kept in a locked storage area and their use supervised by medical staff.
Medications are not to be kept in the cabins and self-administered, since many children share their medications with other campers.3 Children should be screened as they enter camp for any current medications and for contagious illnesses. All visits to the infirmary are to be recorded in a daily log, which includes a description of the illness or injury, treatment, and medications administered. The purposes of this study were to describe the types of illnesses and injuries seen over a 1-month period at a residential summer camp and to evaluate the difference in the epidemiology of contagious and noncontagious illnesses. This study was conducted at a residential summer camp in South Carolina in June and July 1993. The camp is for children ages 8 years to 15 years.