Heading off to summer camp is an exciting milestone for many kids—but for families affected by epilepsy, it also takes a little extra preparation. That’s why Epilepsy Alliance America created this Summer Camp Checklist to help you get ready for a safe, supportive, and seizure-smart camp experience in 2025.
- Update Your Seizure Action Plan: Make sure your child’s SAP is current, detailed, and shared with camp staff.
- Prepare Your Camp: Communicate early with camp leaders about your child’s medical needs and how to respond to seizures.
- Educate Campers: Help build a culture of awareness and inclusion. Peer understanding makes a big difference!
- Bring Seizure ID Products: Medical ID bracelets, emergency medication, and seizure monitoring tools help keep your child safe.
- Get Support: Whether it’s connecting with your local epilepsy organization or accessing our national resources, you’re not alone.
Camp Experience
Hear Michael Pearson, from Epilepsy Services of New Jersey, talk about how kids with epilepsy can enjoy camp safely.
Seizure Water Safety
Water safety is a vital concern for individuals living with epilepsy. While swimming, bathing, or enjoying water-related activities, the risk of accidental drowning increases—especially if a seizure occurs in or near water.
- The risk of drowning is 15-19 times higher for people with epilepsy
- Drowning is the most frequent epilepsy-related cause of death, after SUDEP
- Epilepsy is the third most common cause of deaths occurring in the bathtub
- Epilepsy is the only medical condition associated with increased drowning risk among children aged 0-14 years.
Despite these sobering statistics, with the right precautions in place, people with epilepsy can still enjoy water safely.
- Never swim alone. Always have a seizure-safe buddy nearby who knows how to help.
- Choose safe environments. Opt for pools with lifeguards over open water or unsupervised areas.
- Use life vests or flotation devices, especially in deep or natural water.
- Shower instead of bathing in a tub if seizures are uncontrolled or unpredictable.
- Communicate. Make sure friends, family, and swim instructors are aware of your seizure type and know basic seizure first aid.
- Avoid swimming when sleep-deprived or during medication changes, as these may increase seizure risk.
- Create a Seizure Action Plan that includes water safety protocols.
Find more tips on how to stay safe while swimming and participating in water sports here.
Seizure Action Plans
Update your Seizure Action Plan (SAP)
Discuss your Seizure Action plan with your doctor and have them sign off on the document.
Take the time to discuss rescue medication options available to you and incorporate in your Seizure Action Plan
Prepare your Camp
- Camp Personnel Training – Ensure that all staff at the camp are trained in Seizure Recognition and First Aid.
- Download and Provide Posters for Camp if they do not have them available.
- Schedule a meeting with camp staff to discuss any accommodations needs and the Seizure Action Plan.
- If possible, meet the camp staff and counselors who will have the most contact with your child. Share their Seizure Action Plan with them but ‘bring it to life’ with other information including what is ‘typical’ for your child.
- Complete any forms required for medication – including Anti-Seizure Drugs, (ASDs) as well as Rescue Medications.
- Provide an extra labeled bottle of medication for the camp.
- If your camper has a wearable medical ID with QR code enabled health information, review this with camp staff ahead of time.
- Designate who will be responsible for administering the camper's daily medication and rescue medication, if needed.
Educate Fellow Campers / Bunkmates
Work with your camp to educate fellow campers about Epilepsy and Seizures. Education is key to reducing stigma. Learn more about the potential mental health impacts of stigma on adolescents with epilepsy here.
Encourage your child's camp to foster inclusivity through their activities and as part of the camp culture. Offer to make a connection with a local member organization of Epilepsy Alliance America to provide education and a seizure first aid demonstration to the campers.
Seizure ID Products
Ensure that you have a wearable item to indicate to people that you have epilepsy in case you have a seizure in a setting without people who know you have epilepsy. Epilepsy Alliance America can provide a $35 coupon to individuals with epilepsy towards a product from GetMyId.com.
Make Connections. Get Support
Epilepsy can too often be an isolating condition. Consider finding a support group for you and your family.
Learn more about the Member Organizations of Epilepsy Alliance America and the programs and services they offer to people with epilepsy and their families.
Articles and Additional Resources
Importance of a Seizure Action Plan
That Long Pause was Really a Seizure: Understanding Epilepsy and Bullying
Epilepsy, seizures, physical exercise, and sports: A report from the ILAE Task Force on Sports and Epilepsy
Time to Talk about Seizures and Rescue Medications
Visit the Seizure Action Plan Coalition website for more tools and resources
Thank you
The Seizure Preparedness for Camp Checklist section was made possible through the generous support of Neurelis.
