Letter for summer camp for ADHD kid

[Anonymous]

Recent ADHD diagnosis for 9 y.o. just starting meds. The meds /symptoms are to help impulsivity & inattention, and by extension greatest challenge of struggles with peer relationships. Summer camps are mostly active and sports camps that have gone well in prior years. On additude I read about writing camps a letter to help with supporting kids. Wonder if anyone has done this and if so what you include? Or maybe checking the ADHD box says what needs to be said?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recent ADHD diagnosis for 9 y.o. just starting meds. The meds /symptoms are to help impulsivity & inattention, and by extension greatest challenge of struggles with peer relationships. Summer camps are mostly active and sports camps that have gone well in prior years. On additude I read about writing camps a letter to help with supporting kids. Wonder if anyone has done this and if so what you include? Or maybe checking the ADHD box says what needs to be said?

i think regardless of diagnosis you should tell your camp anything they need to know about your child. mine is going to summer camp this year and I will likely do this

[Anonymous]

I have a 9 year old who has been diagnosed since age 5. In past summers i wrote on the regular registration form "Diagnosed Adhd. Usually does not present issues in camp settings, but can at times have difficulty transitioning and regulating emotions".

I never had any camp say anything back to me. And my son never had any issues either (unlike school!). Im not even sure if anyone read it. This year he is on 2 a day pills so I will have to navigate medication at camp, which I'm not looking forward to, but also know we arent the first or only to do so.

[Anonymous]

I think day camp / sleep away camp matters. If prior camps have gone fine I would not write the letter, so long as I could make sure that the check in / drop off / first day period allowed a moment to exchange frank information and you have previously communicated the diagnosis on the registration.

[Anonymous]

I work at summer sleepaway camp every summer. Please be honest about what issues may arise. Please send the kid with meds. Parents that think the kids don’t need the meds for camp aren’t realizing that camp is a novel setting with many activities that have safety instructions that need to be followed. Hyper, impulsive, or inattentive kids have social difficulties when the whole bunk is late because of their inability to organize or follow through. If we know we are getting quite a few kids with ADHD, we will put our stronger counselors in there.

If the camp is for a week or two, you likely won’t get any negative feedback at the end, because the staff has made it through with your kid and is looking ahead to the next group. They don’t bother telling you how impacted your kid was because it’s over, and they don’t want to embarrass your kid in front of them at pickup. You should ask directly if you want to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recent ADHD diagnosis for 9 y.o. just starting meds. The meds /symptoms are to help impulsivity & inattention, and by extension greatest challenge of struggles with peer relationships. Summer camps are mostly active and sports camps that have gone well in prior years. On additude I read about writing camps a letter to help with supporting kids. Wonder if anyone has done this and if so what you include? Or maybe checking the ADHD box says what needs to be said?

Make sure there is a good medication plan in place that is discrete. My kid struggles without medication but doesn't want peers to know he takes it. We worked it out where he got it in the morning through a staff member without others knowing.