Food Allergies at Summer Camp: A Parent’s Guide 

As summer approaches, we look forward to free time for day trips, poolside afternoons, and a childhood favorite, summer camp! 

Camps give kids opportunities to make new friends, try new hobbies, and be more independent.

But when your child has a life-threatening food allergy, summer camp presents some serious challenges. The break from the routines of the school year, while welcome, raises anxiety for allergy families because those familiar routines and protocols keep our kids safe. 

Our Summer Camp Story

My daughter is severely allergic to wheat, barley, and rye, and even cross-contamination can send us to the Emergency Room (and has several times). So a busy and casually supervised camp lunch or a remote camp can be dangerous territory for her. 

But thankfully, through careful planning, research and partnership with camp staff, she’s been able to safely enjoy summer camps. 

In fact, she successfully attended her first ever sleepaway camp last year! It was life-changing for all of us. It gave us hope and a glimpse of a future where she can be safe and adventurous. 

I recognize that all children and their allergies are different and that what works for us, may not be an option for you. My heart goes out to each and every one of you because I know some part of your struggle. Maybe by hearing our story, you will find an unseen path to possibility.

In this Food Allergies at Summer Camp: Staying Safe Series, I discuss the particular challenges of sleep-away camps and how we approached each challenge to minimize risks for our daughter. All the aspects apply to or can be scaled back for day camps as well, but they are based on my experience with overnight camp.

Location, Location, Location

When choosing a day camp or overnight camp for your child with food allergies, proximity to Emergency Services is a major factor.

My daughter has experienced a biphasic reaction, where a second wave of anaphylaxis occurred after the first epinephrine injection. I have also seen her blood pressure drop frighteningly fast during anaphylaxis.

Knowing that the effects of epinephrine begin to wane after 20-30 minutes, I will only consider a camp that is within 20-30 minutes of a hospital. You know your child’s symptoms and severity, so you will need to determine the comfortable radius for your camp search.

When doing so, consider that miles don’t equal minutes on rural roads. A hospital 10 miles away will likely take 20-30 minutes to reach because of winding two lane or gravel roads.

Food Allergies and ADA: Understanding Your Rights

First and foremost, it’s important to remember that under the Americans with Disabilities Act, food allergies are considered a disability if they seriously limit one or more major life activities (eating). This means: 

• Summer camps are generally required to accommodate food allergies under this law, particularly if the camp receives federal funding. 
• Accommodations could include providing safe meal options, preventing cross-contamination, and modifying camp activities. 
• Camps are not required to make changes that “fundamentally alter the nature of its programs” or “create an undue burden” for the camp. But most will work with you if you approach in good faith.

I would not expect a baking-themed camp to be able to accommodate my daughter’s severe allergy, but I would expect that a single food-themed activity at a day camp could be safely modified for her.

*For more information on ADA and allergies, visit this site: https://aafa.org/asthma/living-with-asthma/asthma-allergies-and-the-american-with-disabilities-act/

Seek Partnership

While the law supports us, when I approach a camp regarding how we can keep my child safe, I do so from a place of partnership and practicality, not legality and confrontation. My daughter has been attending summer camp since she was 4 and I’ve only ever had the most supportive and empathetic responses from staff. 

Food Allergies at Summer Camp: Main Challenges

Based on our journey, I’ve found that the greatest food allergy risks at camp involve one or more of the following issues:

• Varying or unclear policies regarding foods/allergens
• Inexperienced or unaware staff
• Communication breakdowns
• Social isolation or exclusion
• Poor Emergency Planning

In this Food Allergies at Summer Camp Parent’s Guide, I’ll talk about how to address each of these challenges, beginning with what to know about Food Allergy Policies when choosing a summer camp.

Research the Food/Allergy Policies: 

Camp policies vary widely. Some prohibit certain allergens, some offer “allergy friendly” dining options, and some even have special allergen-free sessions. 

However, almost all camps have a risk of allergen cross-contact, so you’ll have to decide how much risk is acceptable for your family. 

When considering a camp, talk to the camp director to learn about the camp’s allergy policies.

Below is a list of questions to consider asking the camp director:

this recipe!

If a camp can’t give confident, specific answers, it may not be the right fit. Keep looking elsewhere. 

When we found a camp that did have solid answers and showed genuine willingness to collaborate, we knew we’d found a great partner. We’ll be returning this summer!

Do a Site Visit in Advance of Camp

If you feel like you’ve found a promising camp, ask to visit the camp with your child ahead of time. This will give you and your child a chance to:

• Get familiar with the layout and where special items and people can be found (kitchen, nurse’s station, allergy safe snacks, etc.). 
• Meet the camp and staff (ahead of the sea of other kids) and raise awareness of your child’s needs.
• Ask questions as they arise on site.
• Ease your anxiety by getting familiar with camp.

Be sure to schedule this visit well before the start of the camp. Trying to do this type of orientation on the drop off day will be way too hectic and full of emotions.

Preview Menus and Camp Store Options and Make a Plan

Ask for a copy of the camp’s dining menus. Make sure it includes the brands of items that will be offered so that you can check labels for hidden ingredients and “made in a facility with” disclaimers. Ask about:

• Daily meal menu items
• Camp store snacks
• Vending machines, surprise treats or rewards campers receive 

Then make a plan. 

• Identify safe/unsafe items for your child. Create an “approved” list that your child can reference while away.
• Discuss substitution options with the kitchen staff or plan to provide them yourself.
• If needed, consider preparing and sending all your child’s food from home.

That last point may sound extreme, but with my daughter’s high sensitivity and cross-contamination risk, it’s how we made sleep away camp work. 

Managing Risk: Making the Impossible Possible

With nearly a dozen anaphylaxis events and ER trips in her first 9 years, we were not willing to risk cross-contamination at camp. Instead,

• We matched the camp menu meal-for-meal and packed labeled pre-portioned meals for our daughter in freezer bags, organized by day.
• We transported the food to camp and helped her set up her prep station early on drop off day.
• We placed her safe foods in a labeled container in both the refrigerator and freezer.
• We provided a microwave and toaster oven for her personal use and camp designated a small prep table for her.
• She cooked all her own meals for the week!

Our girl had had an amazing time at camp and could not wait to return. Yes, it was a TON of prep work for us (and she had some extra duties at camp:), but it reduced the risks enough that I felt confident sending her. It made the impossible possible for us!

You might think our strategy is way over-the-top. Or you might feel hopeful that it’s even possible. Maybe you now see camp in your child’s future, and I hope so. Because the pride and the beaming smile my daughter wore when I picked her up from camp 7 days later made every moment worth it. She could feel her future full of possibility.

If you are considering camp for your child, I hope our story shows that with a lot of planning, partnership, and label reading, this rite of passage is possible. 

With love and encouragement on your allergy journey,

Colleen

In the next articles in this series, I’ll share:

• Ways to communicate with camp staff about your child’s food allergies and advocate for your child.
• How to pack emergency medications for camp adventures (here’s a resource for the meantime).
• How to help your child with the social and emotional challenges camp can bring.