For families of children with food allergies, summer camp can feel more stressful than fun. But new research from UVA Health may offer some relief.
The study, published in Pediatrics, found that for most residential camps, keeping epinephrine autoinjectors on-site is both a safer and more affordable option than relying on campers to bring their own.
“Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening emergency, and rapid administration of epinephrine is the best treatment for it,” said lead researcher Dr. Kathleen A. Noorbakhsh, a pediatric emergency-medicine specialist at UVA Health. “We know that when kids with anaphylaxis receive epinephrine early, they have better outcomes than when it is delayed.”
Each year, more than 20 million U.S. children attend summer camp, and up to 15% have diagnosed food allergies. Despite this, only 40% bring their own epinephrine autoinjectors — medication that can mean the difference between life and death during a reaction.
Using a model based on 10,000 hypothetical campers, researchers found that most camps would save money and improve safety by stocking two twin packs of epinephrine and not requiring children to bring their own. The projected cost? About $4.33 per camper.
For smaller camps or those with very few campers with allergies, it may still make sense for kids to bring personal autoinjectors. But for larger camps, or any camp serving high-risk kids, stocking medication on-site is the smartest move.
“I would love to see more camps stocking epinephrine in a way that suits their specific camp environment and families advocating for that,” Dr. Noorbakhsh said. “Summer is a lot more fun when you are prepared.”
This study was supported by a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The research team disclosed no financial conflicts of interest.