Published June 3, 2024

1. Plan ahead. Talk with your child’s doctor to create a medicine plan for the school break.

2. Follow camp policies. Ask the camp about the rules around taking medicines. Ask about both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.

3. Provide accurate information. Complete the required camp forms. Provide as much information as possible, including allergies, your child’s full medical history, and a compete medicine list (including OTC medicines, vitamins, and supplements).

4. Address other forms of medicine. Be sure the camp staff knows if your child is wearing a medicine patch or using a medicine pump (e.g., insulin pump), even if the camp staff will not be administering it.

5. Keep in original container (prescription medicines). All prescription medicines should be in their original labeled pharmacy containers. Only provide the amount of medicine needed for the duration of the camp. You may need to ask your local pharmacy to split the prescription into two containers – one for home and one for camp. Both bottles should have labels with complete information. Be sure that inhalers have your child’s name on the device itself and not just on the outer box.

6. Keep in original container (OTC medicines). For OTC medicines, vitamins, and supplements, write your child’s name on the container without covering important information. Make sure the label instructions match how your child takes the medicine. If your child takes the medicine differently than what is printed on the label, you will likely need a note from your child’s doctor with specific instructions.

7. Prepare your child. Your child should understand basic information about the medicines they take. Younger children should know what the medicine looks like (e.g., a white round tablet, a blue liquid). Older children should know the name of each medicine, the dose, when and how it should be taken, why it is taken, side effects, and if they should avoid any food or drinks when taking it. Ideally, this information should be written down and the child should carry that information with them.

8. Call with questions. If your child thinks something is wrong with the medicine they are going to be given, tell them to ask the person administering it to call you.

9. Do not share medicines. Teach children to never share their medicine with others or take medicine from another child. This includes prescription and OTC medicines, even gummy vitamins and supplements.

10. Provide instructions or demonstrate. If providing a medicine device, such as an asthma inhaler or epinephrine pen (EpiPen), make sure you provide instructions on how to use the device. Written instructions or demonstrating how to use the device may be helpful. Let camp staff know if your child can self-administer their inhalers. Remember that if your child uses an inhaler with a spacer, the spacer needs to be provided and have your child’s name on it.

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