Food Allergies in Kids

In the past decade, we have seen an increasing number of kids with food allergies at camp.  We take each allergy seriously and make sure that our kitchen staff and counselors are aware of foods the camper needs to avoid.  Some food allergies are life-threatening, but many are reported as being mild.

This blog offers an interesting discussion about diagnosis (and possible mis-diagnosis) of food allergies in children:
http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/wow-many-kids-possibly-mis-diagnosed-as-allergic/

I am especially curious about the relationship between allergic reactions on skin tests or allergies shown via a blood test, versus reactions to actually ingesting foods.  If anyone has more information about research on this topic, please let me know!

"Kidsickness": Help for First-Time Camp Parents

     When a child goes to resident camp for the first time, a lot of talk revolves around homesickness, the common term for the well-known phenomenon of missing home and parents.  Much has been discussed in camp literature about the prevention and treatment of homesickness.  Counselors are trained to help campers adjust to camp life and learn coping skills.  What has not been addressed much is the emotional toll a first-time camp experience takes on parents.  In most cases, the experience is harder on parents than it is on their child.  First-time campers find themselves in a fun, exciting environment.  They have little time to miss home when they are meeting new friends, experiencing great activities, and having the time of their lives.  Parents, on the other hand, are often at home missing their child, worrying about how they are doing, and figuring out how to fill time that is normally spent focused on caring for their child.  "Kidsickness" is my term that refers to the emotions some parents feel when they experience their first long separation from their child, which often is a stay at a traditional summer camp.