Prepare Your Camper at MinuteClinic!
Also called pre-‐participation physicals, camp physicals are a great way to make sure a camper can safely participate in activities. Some camps require a physical, but even if it’s not required, it’s a great way to stay on top of your camper’s health.
Their nurse practitioners and physician assistants are ready to:
• Review health history and immunizations
• Perform a thorough physical exam
• Complete and stamp required paperwork
Your local CVS Minute Clinic can help you and your family get ready for Summer in more ways than you could have ever imagined like the above! I thought I had to go to my pediatrician for a physical before camp! This is far more convenient!
My son loves Summer and the outdoors, both he and I need to know how to protect him from everything that might interrupt this:
And always send your camper off with confidence, and the knowledge that he can connect to you when they are away!
1. Send your camper off with self addressed stamped envelopes. I also include the paper for my son to write on, otherwise the smarty will send me an empty envelope, “But I knew you would know it was from me, it was my way of saying hello!” Very funny kid!
2. Anticipate some nervousness and discuss some coping tools before hand. This year we know if he has to say hello, he can ask the nurse at night when he is taking his evening meds.
3. As long as my son has something familiar, he is OK. If he feels uncomfortable, he reaches for his duct tape and starts creating, that makes him feel right at home!
4. This year we are going to try to get our son to keep some kind of a journal which will help him with his writing for 7th grade. I am excited to be able to read what activities he does on a daily or weekly basis.
5. Packing the right items is crucial:
Summer Camp Preparedness:
1. My son started attending sleep away camp last year. This camp and the day camp form the years before would not accept anyone with out first having received their general physical and immunization history. My son has a May birthday so timing wise this works easily for us, otherwise I would have made a quick visit to my local Minute Clinic!
2. Does your child need to take medications when at camp? My son has some emergency ones that I leave with the camp nurse, and some nightly meds to take. My son goes away for seven weeks so I have already stated to collect his prescriptions from my CVS pharmacy! Including his over the counter allergy medications.
3. I pack seven weeks of sun block protection and seven weeks of bug spray. I include sun protection lip balm and sunglasses.
4. What extras does your child want? Our camp suggest a flashlight, a portable fan, a portable chair, and my son adds duct tape, and I throw in two books for summer reading!
5. This is sleep way camp, as with most camps, they have a great supply of emergency kit items, and even check the kids for ticks!
Minute Clinic also has some great suggestions to protect our kids when they come home from camp, or just come home from spending a day out in the forest!
Poison Ivy and Oak:
The Minute Clinic nurse practitioners and physician assistants can recommend the right over-the-counter treatments and write prescriptions when medically appropriate to treat poison ivy and oak.
+Spotting Poison Ivy: Poison ivy has three pointed leaves that can grow as a bush or a vine. These leaves change color with the seasons:
-Reddish in the spring
-Green in the summer
-Yellow, orange or red in the fall
+Spotting Poison Oak: Poison oak has three leaves shaped in lobes resembling those of an oak tree. Poison oak grows in low shrubs as long vines.
Preventative Measures:
-Cover up with closed shoes, socks, long pants, long sleeves, and gloves. Wash any clothes that come in contact with poisonous plants as soon as possible.
-If you are exposed, wash your skin with soap and water, or rubbing alcohol immediately. Though the timeframe varies, a rash usually begins to develop after 10 minutes.
-Scrub under your nails. Poison ivy and oak oil can be spread to other areas of the body if oil is beneath the nail.
-If there is a chance your pet has been exposed, give them a thorough bath. Wear rubber gloves while bathing your pets.
-Routinely wash sports equipment, gardening tools, and other outdoor items with soap and water. Oil from poison ivy and other poisonous plants can remain potent for as long as 5 years.
Bug Bites and Stings
Bee stings and bug bites – ouch! Our practitioners can help when you have a painful bite. Reactions can range from mild to severe and multiple stings can be serious, especially in children. MinuteClinic can provide a proper assessment, clean the site of the sting to prevent infection and recommend the proper treatment plan to deal with itching and swelling.
Using insect repellent safely:
o Never spray directly on your face. Spray your hands and rub them carefully over your face avoiding the eyes and mouth. Use sparingly around the ears.
o Never use repellents on wounds or irritated skin.
o Wash skin after coming indoors.
o Avoid products with more than 50% DEET
o Minimize use of insect repellent if you are pregnant or nursing
Sunburn
Too much time in the sun? Sunburn can range in severity from mild redness to painful blisters and swelling. It can also be accompanied by serious conditions such as heatstroke, dehydration or skin infection. MinuteClinic can give a thorough assessment and proper medical care.
Prevention tips:
-Use the shadow rule to measure UV exposure: a shadow that is longer than you mean UV exposure is low; a shadow that is shorter than you means UV exposure is high
-Wear protective clothing including, a hat with a brim 4 inches or wider, sunglasses with 100% UV protection, loose fitting, tightly woven clothing that cover the arms and legs, or clothing made with sun protective fabrics
-Use a higher SPF at when you are near water, at higher elevations or in tropical climates. Sunscreen effectiveness is affected by the wind, humidity and altitude
-Know the lingo: opt for broad spectrum sunscreen which protects against both UVB and UVA rays
-Wearing a t-‐shirt in the water does not protect your skin unless sunscreen has also been applied underneath
-If you have dry skin, use lotion or cream sunscreen. For oily skin, or if you are in a primarily dusty or sandy area, use a gel, which dries without leaving a film
My son’s camp will help with everything above except the application of sunscreen and insect repellant. I have started going over these application tips know with my son. He is 12 and looks for the quick way, that will not help when trying to prevent sunburn or bug bites. A simple reminder of the few occasions he had these issues last Summer makes it easier for me to reinforce to him that he has to do this all proeprly when I am not there to supervise. I cannot thank Minute Clinic enough for this help before I send my child away to camp, because this picture frm last year is what I am hoping will be repeated:
For more information and to find locations near you, please visit the MinuteClinic on-line!
AND, RSVP for the twitter party this Wednesday at 1 pm EST!
Disclosure: This is a compensated post on behalf of the CVS MinuteClinic..
Those are great tips! We’re actually scheduled for a well-visit so my son can go to camp this summer.
Minute Clinic is the best. It’s an easy way to get help for minor ailments and keep summer going strong.
An incredible great list. My 5 year old JUST asked me this afternoon if we can go camping…I didn’t know he knew anything about it, but apparently knows everything and wants to go!!
You’ve got great ideas here. I’d love to say the kids are going to camp, I think they’d like it. But it’s not in the cards this year.
I like the duct tape idea My granddaughter loves creating with Duct Tape.
ugh, poison oak is the worst. so itchy, anything to avoid that!