Camp Physicals Clinic Q&A

In order for a child to attend a summer camp, a physical exam is often required. Even when it isn’t enforced by the camp itself, the American Academy of Pediatrics highly recommends the scan to ensure your child’s health. A camp physical assesses potential risks summer camp could pose for your child based on several factors. Among those are medical conditions, allergies, lack of immunizations, disabilities, and general health.

The pediatrician will screen your child for any pre-existing medical conditions that could be triggered during a standard camp activity. Summer camps can also be ripe with allergens capable of triggering allergic reactions or asthma. Resultingly, your pediatrician will assess potential triggers and advise parents of medications, treatments, or recommended precautions to ensure the summer camp poses no risks to your child.

Summer camps can expose your child to potentially unfamiliar allergens, particularly if they’re attending for the first time, so it is important to review their medical history with a pediatrician. If your child has not completed an allergy scan, that service is available at Nova Patient Care, as are camp physicals.

It is important to have your child’s camp physical conducted well ahead of the date your child will attend camp to ensure enough time is available to catch up on potentially lagging vaccinations or address medical conditions or concerns that arise during the examination.

A camp physical occurs to highlight any potential issues that could trigger a health threat. In order for the exam to best succeed there are several requirements.
Parents should be sure to bring any paperwork the camp may have provided, to document the physical examination. Parents should complete the sections they need to fill out ahead of the exam. Medical history and immunization records will also be required.

Parents should also be prepared to go over any concerns, injuries that would have the potential to worsen, or health issues, new or existing, with the pediatrician. Ensure your child brings any medical devices they require such as an inhaler, eyewear, or an EpiPen, and that they are aware of how to use them. Have your child dress in loose-fitting clothes for comfort and to adequately complete general physical well-being checks like joint and muscle reflexes.

The examination itself will include many of the same elements as a physical check-up. The pediatrician weighs your child and measures their height, screens vision, reviews medical history, family history, and immunization records, assesses physical limitations and dietary restrictions, and checks breathing and heart rate. All of this ensures you and your child understand their abilities to participate in the summer camp, making for a fun trip for your child and peace of mind for you as parents.

A camp physical helps make camp safer for your child and the other campers and allows parents to send their children off for summer fun worry-free.
In addition to preparing you and your child for potential health threats in the manner discussed above, the camp staff is also on the lookout for your child’s safety and health, and they are fully informed thanks to the camp physical exam.

Camp staff can also be notified of a potential recent injury so they are aware of your child’s limitations, allowing for participation without aggravating the injury.
A camp physical also ensures that parents are prepared with any medical devices their child may need to ensure safety such as an EpiPen or an inhaler. These exams also prevent the potential spread of illness between campers.

Nova Patient Care offers camp physicals in addition to all of your pediatric needs. Nova Patient Care is the only concierge-style pediatric clinic in the region and strives to provide you and your family with personalized, reliable, and convenient care. Call us for more information. We serve patients from Woodbridge VA, Bethel VA, Dale City VA, Old Town Alexandria VA, Huntington VA, Fort Hunt VA, Arlington VA, Mclean VA, Idylwood VA, Kingstowne Center Alexandria VA, Franconia VA, Newington VA, Falls Church VA, Annandale VA, Tysons VA, Richmond Hwy Alexandria VA, Pentagon City Arlington VA, Seven Corners VA, Lake Barcroft, VA and surrounding areas.