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SUWSSUWS of the Carolinas
SUWS of the Carolinas is a therapeutic camping program with a focus on clinical intervention and assessment. The program uses the outdoors as an alternative to conventional treatment environments, while engaging students using traditional therapeutic methods. They also have the Seasons program, which addresses unique needs of younger children, ages 10-13.

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Keep Kids with ADHD on Meds During Sleepover Summer Camps

Doctors often advise children with Attention Deficit Disorder to "take a break" from their medications at least once a year, usually when school is out. The reason is that these medicines affect the physical development of children.

"By taking children off during summer," said Dr. Josephine Elia of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, "you do allow some room so a growth spurt can occur."

However, what if your child is going away to summer camp? Should parents stop the child's medications?

Newsweek reporter Samantha Henig interviewed doctors, camp counselors, and parents and concluded that it may be better to keep the children medicated at sleepover camps.

Many parents have the mistaken belief that vigorous exercise will temporary alleviate their children's symptoms. However, experts told Henig that is not the case. Structured sports offered by summer camps cannot treat symptoms of ADHD, but can only channel children's energy.

Taking children off medications can put them at risk during activities that require concentration like mountain climbing or canoeing, according to Dr. Edward Walton, pediatrics professor at the University of Michigan.

"It also puts an unfair burden on the counselors," he said. "It's difficult to ask someone who's just meeting your child, just forming a relationship and trying to keep them safe and happy when the child is not at his best."

What is even more distressing for counselors is that parents take their children off medications without informing the camp of their child's condition or usual medications. Sue Scheff, a parent advocate for Attention Deficit Disorder, told Newsweek that she did that herself.

"Within a week's time I'd get a call saying he's misbehaving and I'd have to send the medication up to get him on track," she said. "Maybe it was a selfish decision. I just wanted to take him off so I didn't have to explain to everybody why he was on medication."

The best course is to discuss any medical condition with the child's camp counselors and administrators.

Over two and a half million children take medications for ADD.

For more information, see http://www.newsweek.com/id/145207 .

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