Frequently Asked Questions
Overnight Camp Medication FAQs
Safety at Pine Cove is a big deal. Especially medical safety. We distribute over 200,000 medications each year and put a lot of time and energy into training our camp staff and medical staff to provide the highest level of care possible when it comes to storing, giving out, and overseeing medication.
Meds, understandably, bring with them a number of questions. We’ve put together this guide to help you know what’s what when it comes to camper meds.
If you have additional questions or concerns about your camper’s medical care, email us!
For our East Texas camps (Towers, Ranch, Timbers, and Shores), email etx-med@pinecove.com.
For our Central Texas camps (Silverado, Outback, and Ridge), email ctx-med@pinecove.com.
For our Southeast camp (Springs), email se-med@pinecove.com.
It is critical to communicate about your camper’s medical needs on the camper’s medical form. These forms become available in your account to fill out one month before your camper’s camp session. It’s important to have ALL medications (including daily over-the-counter allergy meds you intend to send) on the medical form before we can accept them at check-in. Make sure that if you make any last minute changes to your child’s medication before arrival at camp, that you also update the medical form.
All medications must be entered into our system through your medical form. We can’t handwrite in new medications at check-in, so save yourself time from having to log-in and add medications at check-in, and do it beforehand!
If this is your first overnight camp experience, you also completed a required health information form as part of your registration. This is the form where you will make sure to let us know about any bigger picture concerns, like diabetes or individual care needs your camper may have. It’s important to let us know about these needs as soon as possible before their camp session so we can make sure both our camp teams and medical teams are prepared to serve them safely.
State law requires us to store all medications at the health centers. This applies not just to campers, but also to our staff, so there’s no possibility of a camper getting into a staffer’s luggage and accessing medication.
Our policy of all medication is stored at the health center this includes over-the-counter medications and vitamins. Please do not store any over-the-counter (OTC) meds or vitamins in your camper’s luggage. Exceptions are made for rescue inhalers, diabetic supplies, and epi-pens.
If your camper is going to self-carry any of those items, please mention your camper will be carrying these things with them on the medical form and check in with the nurse upon arrival. We encourage you to send a second item to keep at the health center for easy accessibility in case a camper forgets an item in their cabin.
Your camper will have access to the camp clinic if they are need of occasional medication. We stock a variety of commonly used medications.
Put any needed prescription medication on the medical form and bring it with you. We’ll take care of making sure they get what they need! State law requires us to store all medication in the health center so do not pack any meds in your camper’s luggage.
Please leave all non-prescription medications and vitamins at home for the week. Standing in line for meds during mealtime is not most camper’s favorite thing to do, so if it’s not essential, your camper will thank you too!
If you believe your camper must have their own over-the-counter (OTC) medication, like a daily allergy pill, please add it to their medical form, then bring it with you to drop-off and check it in with the camp nurse. Any vitamins must have a doctors note and be checked in with the nurse.
We are well stocked with most OTC medications for as-needed, occasional use!
Make sure to keep only the doses of prescription medication your camper needs in the original prescription container with current dosage instructions.
That’s a long sentence so let’s break it down. Any prescription medication should:
We cannot mail prescription medication (it’s actually a felony by law!) so only packing the dosages your camper needs helps you not to waste (potentially expensive) medication by forgetting to pick it up after camp.
It’s easy to want to consolidate when you are packing and put all their meds for the week into a baggie—we get it! However, state regulations require all medication to be in containers processed by a pharmacist or manufacturer. We cannot make exceptions.
We still need a prescription label with dosage instructions for boxed medications, like inhalers, epi-pens and prescription creams. So either pack the box, or ask your pharmacy to print you an additional label that you can stick to the inhaler, packet or tube.
We stock many over-the-counter (OTC) medications in our health center for occasional as needed use. There is no need to pack any common OTC meds for your camper – we’re fully stocked with them!
If you believe your camper must have their own over-the-counter (OTC) medication, like a daily allergy pill, please add it to their medical form, then bring it with you to drop-off and check it in with the camp nurse. Any vitamins must have a doctors note and be checked in with the nurse.
Pack your any meds needed in a separate bag from the rest of your camper’s luggage ready to check in at the nurse’s station at drop-off.
Because of state regulations, we cannot administer prescription meds that are:
Regulations require us to follow the directions on all prescription medicine bottles and all blister packs, whether prescription or over-the-counter.
Sorry, but state law mandates that we follow all dosing guidelines and prescription guidelines. Work with your physician to update your dosing instructions for any prescription meds. If your camper needs to take a higher than recommended dose of an over-the-counter (OTC) med, please bring a physician’s note to the nurse’s table at drop-off.
The most common issue for parents is with melatonin. Check your melatonin packaging and see what the recommended dosage is. If you need need them to take more, we’ll need a physician’s note. They also will be pretty worn out by the end of the day and likely will not need melatonin at all.
Some parents use time at camp to “take a vacation” from routine prescription medication, especially ADHD medication. We want to set your camper up for a successful, seriously fun, Christ-centered week, and keeping them on their regular prescription medication is an important factor for success. The camp environment is highly stimulating and most campers find they need the help their regular medication provides.
Medication is given out at meals from Sunday dinner to Friday dinner and bedtimes beginning Sunday night. Note that we do not give out meds at breakfast on Saturday (unless it’s a critical medicine like a cardiac med or insulin), so make sure to give your camper any needed meds on Saturday after you pick them up.
Please communicate with your camper what meds (if any) they should expect to be taking at mealtime, so they’re aware. It’s important that they know if they are supposed to go to the meds station at meals before they arrive.
We legally cannot administer anything that is not FDA approved and without dosing guidelines. In order to administer vitamins, essential oils, CBD oil, or allergy drops, we must have a doctors note that includes dosing instructions. Do not pack these items in your camper’s luggage, as they will be taken up.
At pick-up you can get your meds from the meds pick-up table before or after picking up your camper. Please don’t forget! It is illegal for us to mail prescription medication, which is why we encourage parents to only pack the doses needed while their camper is at camp.
