Q: My child has a peanut allergy and is heading to overnight camp this summer. I’m a little nervous. Are camps generally prepared to handle serious food allergies these days?
A: You’re not alone in feeling that way. Food allergies are a big concern for many families during camp season.
A large study that looked at camps across the U.S. and Canada found that nearly all of them have campers with food allergies, but not all are equally prepared. About 1.5% to 2.5% of kids attending camp have food allergies that require an epinephrine auto-injector, but only about half actually bring one. Even more concerning, very few show up with a written emergency action plan, and only about half of the camps in the study required one.
Some camps are doing a great job. They provide staff training on how to recognize and respond to anaphylaxis and take steps to keep food-allergic kids safe. Others still have work to do.
So before your child heads off, it’s important to ask questions: Does the camp require and review allergy plans? Do they have epinephrine on site and staff who are trained to use it? How do they handle food prep and avoid cross-contact?