Summer Camp Advice

One thing that we have learned after years of different summer camps for Caroline is that bipolar kids usually cannot handle camps that involve large numbers of kids in one place, out in the heat all day. Look for camps that have small number per counselor, in a small environment, with plenty of indoor time. Lithium makes kids need a LOT more water (it is a salt, remember) and bipolar kids have a hard time regulating their temperature anyway for some reason (see The Bipolar Child by Dr. Papolos.) Tell them that your child is bipolar, obviously, and give them some tips on how to handle outbursts and meltdowns. Sports camps are ok if they LOVE the sport they are playing, but again, WATER and more water. We have had bad experiences with chaotic camps.