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Wed, 13 Mar 2002 09:51:59 -0500
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<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Thanks to everyone who responded.  Many parents requested that I share what
I found out, so they can send their own kids off to camp safely.  so here is
a synthesis of advice:

Start by speaking to camp director, and then speak to head chef.  One person
said "be adamant with camp staff."  Another said to tell camp staff this is
an "ADA accomodation".  My guess is that this is Americans with Disabilities
Act?  and I can't claim any specialized knowledge about whether this in fact
would apply to this situation.

Many folks had expereinces with very willing and helpful camp staff,
including one person who lucked out and found the camp chef already knew
about celiac.  One mom cooked all her kids' meals ahead of time and sent
them to camp frozen and labled.  Most others sent some food and relied on
some camp food.  Suggestion to talk to kitchen staff shortly before camp to
get a specific menu for that week, and then figure out what items they could
eat and what changes or substitutions would need to be made.  Most people
sent along some basic food items such as cereal, bread and baked goods, and
pasta. Everyone mentioned labeling all food and several gave kitchen staff
specific written instructions.  a couple of people sent a toaster with their
child.  One mom had her child write thank you notes to the kitchen staff in
advance.

 One person sent Dana Korn's book as a reference.  I was reminded to speak
to clinic about gf meds.  but I was mystified by advice that clinic be
instructed not to use iodine on her cuts?  Is this for people with dh?  I
have never heard this advice for celiacs!  one person suggested giving the
camp bakery some recipes.  Several people mentioned their kids ate better
than most kids at camp!

 Several people mentioned both girl scout and boy scout camps as being
helpful and accomodating of kids with special needs.  (my cousin has a
diabetic son, and she had a positive experience sending him to boy scout
camp last summer.)  One person had an extremely negative experience while
working as a leader at a 4-H camp.  People recommended both the Celiac camp
in rhode Island and the GIG camp in Washington.  And one list member wrote
to say she is a long-time celiac and she runs a summer camp in Penn.; anyone
interested their website is www.poyntelle.com.

For my purposes we have already selected the camp because my daughter has
friends going there, and the camp indicated they would be willing to help me
feed her for the week.  Several people asked me for specific info about our
situation.  She is 11, she will be going to Camp Friendship, near
charlottesville, VA.  she is not a diagnosed celiac.  she has only been on
diet a couple of years, and has a track record of cheating on diet, or
making mistakes following it, although she has been doing much better with
it for about the past 6-8 months.  She is on diet in an attempt to treat
alopecia areata (hair loss), and by our observation the diet has been
helpful in correcting this problem.  She has two siblings with celiac
disease.

I will say as a foot note that I found it very interesting to see a very
broad range in parents' attitudes and strictness with the diet.  Some are
unwilling to take any risk and need to control every morsel that goes down
the gullet.  Others are quite casual: "we assume a hamburger patty is just
that"  or "my kids just avoid anything that looks like bread or gravy and so
far they're ok".  I personally see myself as somewhere in the middle with
this issue.  I feel very strongly that every family needs to find this
comfort zone for themselves and that we should support each other's
decisions, not pass judgement or "instruct" others.

Thanks again to everyone; my daughter is very much looking forward to her
week at camp!  Lynn

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