Camper Health Care

Health History | Immunizations | Medications | Screenings | Communication | Insurance & Costs

The health and safety of campers and staff is our first priority. Wildwood’s health care policies meet or exceed standards set by the American Camp Association, Mass Audubon, and the state of New Hampshire.

Our health care team includes a registered nurse who lives on site in the Health Center during non-family sessions and an on-call pediatric practice for consultation and emergencies. Monadnock Community Hospital is located in Peterborough, NH, approximately a 15-minute drive from camp. Staff members hold current First Aid, CPR, and other applicable health care certifications or licenses.

Camper Health History

Each overnight camper, LIT, or teen trip camper must have a current Health History, completed no more than 6 months prior to the camper’s registered session, on file with the Camp Nurse prior to arrival at camp. Complete this form carefully and thoroughly.

Record of Physical Exam and Health Care Provider Recommendations 

New Hampshire requires that each overnight camper, LIT, or teen trip camper have documentation of a physical health examination conducted by a clinician within the 24 months prior to the camper’s registered session. You may submit a signed form from your doctor instead of completing the form Wildwood provides. Ensure that all prescription medications have a written, signed medication order. Your camper’s final acceptance is pending receipt and approval of all completed medical forms.

Family Camp

participants must each have a complete 2-page family camp health form and are not required to submit proof of immunizations or a physical exam.

Current Immunizations Required

Wildwood follows immunization requirements set by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, which licenses New Hampshire camps. Minimum requirements are below. A Mantoux skin test for tuberculosis is not currently required by Wildwood.

  1. Documentation of at least the initial immunization against hepatitis B for children born on or after January 1, 1993;
  2. One dose of measles (live), mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine given at or after 12 months of age; and all students in grades kindergarten through 12th shall have received 2 valid doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine;
  3. Four doses of trivalent polio vaccine, unless the third dose of an all oral polio vaccine (OPV) or all inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) series has been administered after the fourth birthday, in which case only 3 doses are required, except that a polio vaccine shall not be required for persons over 18 years of age who do not have documentation of previous immunization;
  4. Five doses of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP), or diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccines, unless the fourth dose has been administered after the fourth birthday, in which case only 4 doses are required:
    1. When pertussis vaccine is medically contraindicated, diphtheria-tetanus toxoid (DT) shall be substituted for DTaP vaccine;
    2. When a child is between 7 and 10 years of age and requires additional immunizations, tetanus-diphtheria toxoid (Td) shall be substituted for DTP, DTaP, or DT vaccine;
    3. When a child is 11 years of age or older, and it has been 5 years or longer since the last documented dose of a tetanus toxoid containing immunization, the child shall receive a booster dose of tetanus, diphtheria acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, except if the child has a medical contraindication to pertussis vaccine, in which case the child shall receive Td; and
    4. For children 7 years of age or older, a minimum of 3 or 4 doses, with the last dose administered after age 4, of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP), diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP), or Td vaccines, or a total of 5 doses; and
    5. One booster dose within the last 10 years.
  5. For tuberculosis, Mantoux skin test documentation, the YRC medical staff shall develop a policy which takes into consideration the latest revision of the tuberculosis control program tuberculosis skin testing recommendations for schools and day care centers, from the department of health and human services, bureau of communicable disease, unless superseded by legislation or administrative rule which mandates the protocol for screening for this disease. 

If a camper is not fully immunized for a medical or religious reason, follow these guidelines to obtain an exemption. A New Hampshire religious exemption must be notarized.

Medications

Wildwood’s infirmary is well-stocked with common non-prescription medications (listed on the Camper Health History) including acetaminophen, ibuprofen, cough drops, and antihistamines, and it is unnecessary for campers to bring an individual supply of these kinds of medications. Please contact us if you have questions about non-prescription medications that we keep on hand.

The Camp Nurse and/or designated senior staff member will keep and dispense all medications at camp during  meals, at bedtime, or at other specified times. When campers participate in an off-site trip, a designated senior staff member will keep and dispense medications as instructed by the Camp Nurse. (During Family Camp, adults in each family keep and dispense all medications to their family group.) 

Requirements for All Medications (both prescription and non-prescription)

All medications must be:

  • submitted to the Camp Nurse during check-in
  • kept in their original containers
  • unexpired
  • fully documented on the Camper Health History, the Record of Physical Exam and Health Care Provider Recommendations, and/or in a signed letter, prescription, or form
  • Do not pre-sort medications!

Prescription Medication

Must have the following:

  • original pharmacy label showing the patient’s name
  • the prescription number
  • date filled
  • physician’s name
  • name of medication
  • directions for use
  • expiration date

Our Standing Medical Orders and the New Hampshire Nurse Practice Act require that our camp nurse have a prescriber’s signed, written order before dispensing any prescription medications, including epinephrine auto-injectors or asthma inhalers. The prescription label does not fulfill this requirement.

Your camper’s prescriber(s) must list prescription medications to be given at camp, including dosage and instructions for administering, on the signed Record of Physical Exam and Health Care Recommendations, on a separate signed health form from the prescriber, or in a signed letter, prescription, or asthma/allergy action plan. If a camper is trained to carry and use his/her own epinephrine auto-injector or inhaler, the prescriber should document this and sign on page 2 of the Record of Physical Exam and Health Care Provider Recommendations.

If a camper needs to carry his or her asthma inhaler or epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) at all times, parents/guardians must send a second inhaler or auto-injector to be kept by the Camp Nurse in case of an emergency. Campers and staff members will report any use of an auto-injector or non-routine inhaler use to the Camp Nurse, so that appropriate follow-up care and monitoring can be provided. 

Non-prescription Medications

(example: daily allergy medication) 

Non-prescription medications must be:

  • kept in the original containers bearing the recommended dosage
  • directions for use
  • and expiration dates

So that campers don’t have to spend time waiting for medication, please consider leaving vitamins or non-prescription medications needed only rarely at home. If your camper’s medications change before camp, you will need to submit updated documentation from the prescribing physician for any prescription medications.

Pre-Camp Health & At-Camp Health Screening

You and your family share in the responsibility for keeping the Wildwood community healthy. Campers who are ill or have infections are not allowed to attend camp until they are healthy and infection-free. Campers who have fractures, breaks, stitches, recent head injury/concussion, or other injuries must have the approval of the Wildwood Director and written permission from a physician to attend camp.

Before you leave for camp

Review with your camper the importance of frequent hand-washing; not sharing items like eating utensils, water bottles, or hair brushes; applying sunscreen and insect repellant appropriately; checking his/her body for ticks; and telling a staff member if he/she is feeling unwell. Then, take your camper’s temperature. If your camper has a fever of 100°F or higher, we’ll ask you to keep your camper at home until
he/she has been fever-free for 24 hours. Similarly, if your camper experiences vomiting or diarrhea in the 24 hours before camp, we’ll ask you to keep your camper at home until 24 hours after the symptoms have subsided. Just call the Camp Office at 603-899-5589 to consult and to make a plan for a later arrival, or an alternate session if needed.

When you arrive at camp

It is vital that you let the camp nurse know if your camper has been exposed to an ill person or someone who has become ill in the past seven days, or if your camper has recovered from any illness within the past seven days, so that camp staff can appropriately monitor your camper’s continued health.

During the first 24 hours of camp

Wildwood staff will take each camper’s temperature and ask about exposure to illness as part of our routine health screening. If your camper has a temperature above 100°F or other symptoms at the screening, we will call you to consult and may ask you to come and pick up your camper.

Health Communication with Parents/Guardians

The Wildwood Director, Camp Nurse, or other senior staff member will contact parents/guardians if:

  • their camper needs to spend the night in the Health Center
  • requires outside health care or emergency care
  • or if they have any questions regarding a camper’s health

If a camper becomes ill at camp, has a contagious condition (including head lice), or has a condition that could be aggravated during regular camp activities, camp staff will call you to consult and may ask you to pick up your camper and seek treatment.

Once a camper is healthy again, he or she may return to the program with the approval of the Wildwood Director.

Health Insurance and Outside Medical Costs

All campers are required to provide proof of health insurance. Mass Audubon does not provide secondary medical coverage.

The Camper Health History must contain health plan information and include a copy of the front and back of your family’s or camper’s health insurance card(s). If a camper requires outside medical care, the camper’s insurance information will be submitted to the service provider.

Parents/guardians are responsible for paying the costs of any outside health care and prescriptions. For campers without health insurance, contact the Wildwood office today.