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Allergy Friendly Summer Camps

Team SunButter

By Cindy Gordon and Keeley McGuire

Heading off to summer camp is the dream for many school-aged children, but for children with food allergies, summer camp may seem out of reach.  With a little research and planning, you may be able to find a summer camp that fits your child’s needs and makes the summer camp dream a reality!

There are summer camps spread across the United States that focus on being Celiac aware or Food Allergy friendly.  When reaching out to a specific program to learn more, parents should ask some key questions.

Does the camp have a food allergy medical management plan in place?

The use of a food allergy medical management plan ensures that everyone participating knows and understands what needs to be done in order to keep children with food allergies safe.

Is there a nurse/EMT on site? Who will be trained to administer epinephrine?

Many camps will have a medical professional on site for emergency situations. All adults that will be responsible for your child at summer camp should be trained on how to administer epinephrine.

Where will the epinephrine be stored?

Talk with the camp to see if they allow children to self-carry epinephrine. If children are not self-carrying their medicine, will it be stored in a location that is close to the activities your child will be participating in?

What will your child eat?

This will vary by camps. Some camps are completely allergen free or allow zero food to be brought in. Ask what types of snacks and meals will be served and how they will be prepared.

“So what camps do you recommend?” 

We’re glad you asked.

Cindy has the inside scoop on The Food Allergy + Anaphylaxis Connection Team’s Camp TAG, a camp specially for children with food allergies and eosinophilic disorders and their siblings. The camp is fun and educational with age-appropriate activities that focus on life with food allergies. In 2015, camps will be held in Big Bear, California and Williamstown, New Jersey. For more information, contact FAACT.

happy camperscamp activities
Keeley swears by Camp Blue Spruce, a worry-free camp for children and teenagers (ages 9-17) with food allergies and Celiac Disease.  All of the food served at the camp is free from dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, gluten, and sesame.  Camp Blue Spruce is more than just food; last summer, Little Miss enjoyed swimming, arts & crafts, cooking, hiking, a talent show, campfires, and even square dancing! Campers even received a special visit from food allergy rocker Kyle Dine & Miss USA Plus. The 2015 camp will be held August 16th-22nd in Falls City, Oregon–Keeley swears it’s worth the travel! For more information, visit their webpage or ask Keeley yourself!

For a more detailed listing of food allergy camps, visit GoDairyFree’s summer camp listing.  Remember that while this list is a great starting place, it is always wise to double check that the camp will meet your family’s needs.  FARE also offers a list.  Check it out here.

Keeley McGuire is the mother to Little Miss, her sous chef, and author of www.keeleymcguire.com.  Together, they have fun in the kitchen baking, creating, and eating yummy allergy-friendly & gluten free recipes.

Cindy Gordon is the owner and author of Vegetarian Mamma and is a foodie who loves to blog about gluten free vegetarian/vegan recipes. Cindy’s family is dedicated to finding/creating recipes and products that fit their family’s allergy needs.

Connect with Keeley and Cindy on social media, too!

 

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