Hello Tamarack Parents,
To our families in California, please know that we are thinking of you and hoping you are safe.
This week we are sharing with you the Top Ten reasons that campers visit the clinic at camp. We have an incredible team working at the clinic, led by Dr. Stefanie Aronow, Chief Medical Officer, and Jen Feinberg, Director of Health at Camp Maas.
1. Homesickness transforms to Happy Camper Syndrome: Sometimes physical complaints are part of adjusting to homesickness. With some TLC and a little reassurance, they can get back to making life-long memories. Emotional support for campers feeling overwhelmed, missing home, or struggling with anxiety is our specialty.
2. Tummy Troubles Camp Cuisine Edition: Constipation, Nausea, Vomiting, or Diarrhea due to dehydration, new foods, mild gastrointestinal bugs, and sometimes just too many s’mores.
3. Name that RASH 101: Poison ivy/oak/sumac exposure, hives, fungus or allergic/irritant reactions. There is also The “I Didn’t Know Sunscreen Was Important” Club: Sunscreen saves the day and aloe “has our back”up plan.
4. Lost (tooth) and Found… Tamarack Tooth fairy strikes again: Wiggly teeth and snack-time surprises make for fun clinic visits!
5. DEHYDRATION: it’s HOT and I’m DRY – Water Bottle Mystery: Staying hydrated is the secret sauce to feeling well at camp. Labeling water bottles is the KEY. Water bottles mysteriously disappearing lead to Dehydration or Heat-Related Issues and can present with symptoms like headaches, dizziness, or fatigue from inadequate water intake during hot days or strenuous activities. Popsicles and water bottle fills are a plenty!
6. Coughs, Sneezes, and Sniffles, Oh My!: Camp Crud happens, but we’ve got tissues, fluids, and TLC ready. Fever or Flu-Like Symptoms happen at camp due to the common cold and other “cruddy” viral infections – the gift of close living quarters. Hand-washing reminders come in many forms – we even have a handwashing RAP song! We can’t forget those sniffly seasonal allergies or reactions to environmental triggers like pollen, dust, or campfires that love to make annual summer appearances.
7. The Boo-Boo Brigade: Scraped knees and stubbed toes get Band-Aids and bravery stickers—badges of honor! Minor injuries happen at camp like scrapes, cuts, and bruises from outdoor activities like hiking, sports, or general play and sprains or strains from high-energy games or uneven terrain.
8. Turn down the fun volume for Headaches: whether it’s not enough water, sleep, rest or just too much singing and fun, sometimes you just need a break – we will make sure it’s nothing more than that and help get them back to the music.
9. The Epic Mosquito Showdown: Bug bites are a summer staple. A little bug spray and appropriate clothing as prevention and after-bite anti-itch cream can win the competition! NIGHTLY Tick Checks for ALL and if found they get named, bagged and added to the TICK wall of fame.
10. The TIRED Camper Who Didn’t catch their Zzzzs: Even the most excited campers need their beauty sleep… exhaustion is not too pretty and can be accompanied with headaches, “not feeling well”, and less than desirable behavior. Respite naps are occasionally the required easy fix.
Rest assured, our clinic manages all this and more with TLC.
Think summer!
Rachel
