Summer Camp and CF

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LisaGreene

New member
<P>Do you have favorite tips, advice, or stories for kids with CF going to summer camp? Tips can be directed to a kid going to camp as well as ideas for parents. </P>
<P>I am compiling a bunch of tips and would love your input. I would especially love your stories that would help other kids handle things well or be able to feel like they are not "alone" with CF at camp. My own son is pretty hacked about needing to do treatments at Boy Scout Camp. Any advice for him?  </P>
<P>Thanks for your ideas and have a great summer!! Lisa G, mom of 2 kids with cf and author<A href="http://www.TipsForCFParents.com">www.TipsForCFParents.com</A></P>
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L

LisaGreene

New member
<P>Do you havefavorite tips,advice, or stories for kids with CF going to summer camp? Tips can be directed to a kid going to camp as well as ideas for parents. </P>
<P>I am compiling a bunch of tipsand would love your input. I would especially love your stories that would help other kids handle things well or be able to feel like they are not "alone" with CF at camp. My own son is pretty hacked about needing to do treatments at Boy Scout Camp. Any advice for him? </P>
<P>Thanks for your ideas and have a great summer!! Lisa G, mom of 2 kids with cf and author<A href="http://www.TipsForCFParents.com">www.TipsForCFParents.com</A></P>
<P></P>
<P></P><STRONG></STRONG>
 
L

LisaGreene

New member
<P>Do you havefavorite tips,advice, or stories for kids with CF going to summer camp? Tips can be directed to a kid going to camp as well as ideas for parents. </P>
<P><BR>I am compiling a bunch of tipsand would love your input. I would especially love your stories that would help other kids handle things well or be able to feel like they are not "alone" with CF at camp. My own son is pretty hacked about needing to do treatments at Boy Scout Camp. Any advice for him? <BR></P>
<P>Thanks for your ideas and have a great summer!! <BR><BR>Lisa G, mom of 2 kids with cf and author<BR><A href="http://www.TipsForCFParents.com">www.TipsForCFParents.com</A></P>
<P></P>
<P></P><BR><STRONG><BR><BR></STRONG><BR>
 
S

SIcklyhatED

New member
I attended a church camp every summer for about 5 years, and once I was old enough joined staff at the same camp for another 2 years (I'm actually one of the only "original" people from that camp now...). Anywho, my experiences have been great. Granted, I have very mild CF, but when I was little the camp nurse would dispense meds either during, before or after meals (just like with eeeeeeeevery other kid who needed meds), and once I was older she'd just let me carry them around myself and skip protocol (she was a family friends too so that helped). I dont think I ever did my inhalation meds because we figured I would (and did) survive if I missed a week. As a kid you're running around so much that you're getting some good airway clearance in there too.

I never had any problems with meds and whatnot. Even as a 4th grader I didn't care if people knew I took meds at meals; in fact I'd always say they were my crazy pills and joke around with everyone. It's really not that big of a deal.

Camp is just a great experience, even if you have to do treatments on the side you'll have enough other fun to compensate for it. I strongly suggest kids go to camp. It really helps with independance (I still dont understand why some kids couldnt go 5 nights without their parents....)

Also, I'm sure there's asthmatics at every camp so it's not like you're "alone" as far as lung issues go. In fact, going to camp and seeing other kids having to take meds during the day too was REALLY encouraging.
 
S

SIcklyhatED

New member
I attended a church camp every summer for about 5 years, and once I was old enough joined staff at the same camp for another 2 years (I'm actually one of the only "original" people from that camp now...). Anywho, my experiences have been great. Granted, I have very mild CF, but when I was little the camp nurse would dispense meds either during, before or after meals (just like with eeeeeeeevery other kid who needed meds), and once I was older she'd just let me carry them around myself and skip protocol (she was a family friends too so that helped). I dont think I ever did my inhalation meds because we figured I would (and did) survive if I missed a week. As a kid you're running around so much that you're getting some good airway clearance in there too.

I never had any problems with meds and whatnot. Even as a 4th grader I didn't care if people knew I took meds at meals; in fact I'd always say they were my crazy pills and joke around with everyone. It's really not that big of a deal.

Camp is just a great experience, even if you have to do treatments on the side you'll have enough other fun to compensate for it. I strongly suggest kids go to camp. It really helps with independance (I still dont understand why some kids couldnt go 5 nights without their parents....)

Also, I'm sure there's asthmatics at every camp so it's not like you're "alone" as far as lung issues go. In fact, going to camp and seeing other kids having to take meds during the day too was REALLY encouraging.
 
S

SIcklyhatED

New member
I attended a church camp every summer for about 5 years, and once I was old enough joined staff at the same camp for another 2 years (I'm actually one of the only "original" people from that camp now...). Anywho, my experiences have been great. Granted, I have very mild CF, but when I was little the camp nurse would dispense meds either during, before or after meals (just like with eeeeeeeevery other kid who needed meds), and once I was older she'd just let me carry them around myself and skip protocol (she was a family friends too so that helped). I dont think I ever did my inhalation meds because we figured I would (and did) survive if I missed a week. As a kid you're running around so much that you're getting some good airway clearance in there too.
<br />
<br />I never had any problems with meds and whatnot. Even as a 4th grader I didn't care if people knew I took meds at meals; in fact I'd always say they were my crazy pills and joke around with everyone. It's really not that big of a deal.
<br />
<br />Camp is just a great experience, even if you have to do treatments on the side you'll have enough other fun to compensate for it. I strongly suggest kids go to camp. It really helps with independance (I still dont understand why some kids couldnt go 5 nights without their parents....)
<br />
<br />Also, I'm sure there's asthmatics at every camp so it's not like you're "alone" as far as lung issues go. In fact, going to camp and seeing other kids having to take meds during the day too was REALLY encouraging.
 
Z

zeeannie

Guest
My daughter attended 5th grade camp five years ago, and the key to success in that case was organization.
I met with the teachers and explained her needs and they pretty much were willing to accommodate anything I asked. I explained exactly how she was supposed to do treatments, care for nebs, etc. Fortunately they didn't really have to do anything because she was pretty independent with treatments even then.
I bought a plastic storage container with a lid that contained all of her medications in their original bottles and wrote her name on it. I included a schedule of when she was supposed to take everything and in what dose, etc. They had a fridge in the nurses hut to store Pulmozyme.
Her treatments were done in the nurses hut. The timing happened to coincide with their downtime during the morning and evening so she didn't miss anything. Something that I didn't think of was to have my daughter choose a buddy who could sit with her and keep her company.
She's going to camp again this summer and hopefully it will be as easy and successful as the last time.
 
Z

zeeannie

Guest
My daughter attended 5th grade camp five years ago, and the key to success in that case was organization.
I met with the teachers and explained her needs and they pretty much were willing to accommodate anything I asked. I explained exactly how she was supposed to do treatments, care for nebs, etc. Fortunately they didn't really have to do anything because she was pretty independent with treatments even then.
I bought a plastic storage container with a lid that contained all of her medications in their original bottles and wrote her name on it. I included a schedule of when she was supposed to take everything and in what dose, etc. They had a fridge in the nurses hut to store Pulmozyme.
Her treatments were done in the nurses hut. The timing happened to coincide with their downtime during the morning and evening so she didn't miss anything. Something that I didn't think of was to have my daughter choose a buddy who could sit with her and keep her company.
She's going to camp again this summer and hopefully it will be as easy and successful as the last time.
 
Z

zeeannie

Guest
My daughter attended 5th grade camp five years ago, and the key to success in that case was organization.
<br />I met with the teachers and explained her needs and they pretty much were willing to accommodate anything I asked. I explained exactly how she was supposed to do treatments, care for nebs, etc. Fortunately they didn't really have to do anything because she was pretty independent with treatments even then.
<br />I bought a plastic storage container with a lid that contained all of her medications in their original bottles and wrote her name on it. I included a schedule of when she was supposed to take everything and in what dose, etc. They had a fridge in the nurses hut to store Pulmozyme.
<br />Her treatments were done in the nurses hut. The timing happened to coincide with their downtime during the morning and evening so she didn't miss anything. Something that I didn't think of was to have my daughter choose a buddy who could sit with her and keep her company.
<br />She's going to camp again this summer and hopefully it will be as easy and successful as the last time.
 
G

Gentrygirl

New member
My son (14yrs old) just came back from his summer camp (he went for a week last year also). I think it is so good for them. They have a rest period that they encourage kids to write, read, whatever, just to keep them from running 24/7. That seems to be a good time for his treatments. I think depending on the child's health, you can adjust. His doctors have said before that it is so important that they still get to be kids. He went on a canoe trip where he wouldn't have eletricity for 3 days, and the docs were okay with that. Last year at camp he did treatments every day, which I think interfered with a little bit of camp time. This year, to find a balance, he did treatments every other day so he wouldn't go a full week without them. Don't get me wrong - not advocating the skipping of treatments in general, just one trying to find a balance between CF and a normal childhood when the health of the child allows a little wiggle room! Assuming your son is in good genral health, I think something like that might work for him, too. Good luck!
 
G

Gentrygirl

New member
My son (14yrs old) just came back from his summer camp (he went for a week last year also). I think it is so good for them. They have a rest period that they encourage kids to write, read, whatever, just to keep them from running 24/7. That seems to be a good time for his treatments. I think depending on the child's health, you can adjust. His doctors have said before that it is so important that they still get to be kids. He went on a canoe trip where he wouldn't have eletricity for 3 days, and the docs were okay with that. Last year at camp he did treatments every day, which I think interfered with a little bit of camp time. This year, to find a balance, he did treatments every other day so he wouldn't go a full week without them. Don't get me wrong - not advocating the skipping of treatments in general, just one trying to find a balance between CF and a normal childhood when the health of the child allows a little wiggle room! Assuming your son is in good genral health, I think something like that might work for him, too. Good luck!
 
G

Gentrygirl

New member
My son (14yrs old) just came back from his summer camp (he went for a week last year also). I think it is so good for them. They have a rest period that they encourage kids to write, read, whatever, just to keep them from running 24/7. That seems to be a good time for his treatments. I think depending on the child's health, you can adjust. His doctors have said before that it is so important that they still get to be kids. He went on a canoe trip where he wouldn't have eletricity for 3 days, and the docs were okay with that. Last year at camp he did treatments every day, which I think interfered with a little bit of camp time. This year, to find a balance, he did treatments every other day so he wouldn't go a full week without them. Don't get me wrong - not advocating the skipping of treatments in general, just one trying to find a balance between CF and a normal childhood when the health of the child allows a little wiggle room! Assuming your son is in good genral health, I think something like that might work for him, too. Good luck!
 
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