If you’re sending your child off to camp for the first time this summer, you might be a little worried. What if they get hurt? What happens if they have an allergy? What if they’re homesick? Rest assured — most camps are prepared for anything.

Many camps have paramedics and nurses on-site to handle health issues, handling minor bumps and scrapes on-site and ensuring children with more serious issues are treated too.

Children spending a lot of time outside at camp might face health issues they don’t ordinarily deal with. Ironically, the most common health issue for these campers comes from something that is just a fact of life in the great outdoors — bug bites. Casey Rose would know. She’s the director of the Tamaracouta Scout Reserve in Mille-Isles. “The most common thing is mosquito fever,” Rose said. “They’re getting so many bug bites that their body is actually reacting as though there is a toxin. It’s almost like flu-like symptoms".

To prevent bug bites — and thus mosquito fever — Health Canada recommends wearing light colours and long sleeves and pants and sparingly applying an insect repellant with DEET. Children up to 12 years old can apply a bug spray with 10 per cent DEET up to three times a day. Older children should apply the same amount of bug repellant as adults — 30 per cent DEET, once a day.An orange a day might also help keep the bugs away. “Reducing your bananas and increasing your oranges will change your blood chemistry so you’re less desirable to be eaten,” Rose said.

Health risks can also come at lunchtime. If your child has a food allergy or serious medical condition, camp staff need to know about it. Most camps will have a medical history form, or ask specifically about food allergies or the use of Epi-Pens. Some camps may even offer nut-free meals.Thankfully, researchers and Rose both agree that few campers ever suffer from serious illnesses or injuries — whether they stay the night at camp or come home in time for dinner. “In the woods, the perceived risk is very high because it’s new to them, but the real risk is very low,” Rose said. “90 per cent of the time it’s homesick, not real-sick".

Homesickness is less alarming than a broken bone. However, it can still be a challenge for campers, especially if it is their first time away from home. While there are no sure-fire solutions, a few guidelines can help you prepare your child for their camp experience.

Arranging for a mid-session pick-up in case of homesickness is probably not a good idea, according to a policy statement published by the American Academy of Paediatrics in 2011. Instead of preparing for the worst, encourage your child to be positive about their upcoming camp experience, the statement said. Involve your child when choosing the camp and talk to them about homesickness and the positive aspects of camps. Maybe even help your child practice being away from home by letting them stay with friends or family. However, every child will react differently to a camp experience. “It’s very child-specific,” Rose said. “It’s knowing your child, knowing when to push, when not to push, when to let them process".

Even the most prepared parents can’t prevent all illnesses and injuries. Some strike before camp even starts. As much as your child might want to go to camp, if your child is sick enough that you wouldn’t send them to school, they probably shouldn’t head off to camp. Better to ask if the camp can push them to another section or if they offer refunds. Keeping them home to recover can help ensure that every child comes home from their camp experience just as happy and healthy as when they left.