<h3 style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px">Soccer camps in the Summer are a lot of fun for children,&nbsp;but it can also bring quite a bit of preparation for parents. The main issues to consider will be your child&rsquo;s health and fitness, and this should be addressed before your child leaves for camp.</span></h3><p><img style="font-family: Georgia, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.1599998474121px; line-height: 14.5919990539551px" src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6157/6201341251_9bd5a4ba5d.jpg" alt=" " width="500" height="333" />&nbsp;</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal">Long hot summer days in the sun combined with strenuous exercise can take its toll on the body, so make sure your child stays safe while having fun.</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal"><strong>Benefits of summer camp</strong></p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal">Summer camp is an exciting place that will help your child to develop independence, get them active,&nbsp;and can even help to instil some leadership skills. If your child is a little nervous as departure day approaches then highlight the benefits that camp will bring. They&rsquo;ll be enjoying plenty of time in the outdoors,&nbsp;and they&rsquo;ll also make new friends while playing a sport they love. Some children will of course jump at the chance to attend while others may be more reticent, and if your child is a little nervous then a little encouragement will go a long way to allaying fears.</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal"><strong>Medical issues</strong></p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal">If your child does have any medical issues then make sure that the camp personnel are aware of this; this information will usually be required on registration forms. This should include medical complaints such as asthma, diabetes,&nbsp;or allergies as well as information on specific medications. Your child should have an adequate supply of medication for the duration of the camp,&nbsp;and always ensure your child knows how to take it.&nbsp;An emergency contact should be named in case of accidents, and telephone numbers of one or more contacts should be included.</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal"><strong>Heat and proper hydration</strong></p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal">The summer days can bring high temperatures and children will be exercising for long periods of time, which means they&rsquo;ll lose body fluid quickly. It&rsquo;s important to make your child aware of&nbsp;<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/health_and_fitness/4289412.stm" target="_blank">the importance of proper fluid-intake</a>&nbsp;throughout and after football sessions. Heavy football uniforms can also cause heat-stress and lightweight football training tops will help to offset this, stores like&nbsp;<a href="http://www.tesco.com/direct/sports-leisure/football-shirts/cat25480018.cat" target="_blank">Tesco</a>&nbsp;have&nbsp;plenty for you to choose from.&nbsp;It&rsquo;s also a good idea to remove helmets during breaks in order to cool down. Camp counselors and trainers should be aware of these important issues,&nbsp;and in most cases will keep practice sessions to a minimum length,&nbsp;to help children adjust to the heat and additional exercise.</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal">Remind your child that it&rsquo;s important to eat every meal provided at camp throughout the day,&nbsp;as the additional food will be needed to provide that extra energy. If you do have any health and safety concerns or questions,&nbsp;then contacting a camp professional before your child leaves should put your mind at rest.</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: normal"><em>Images by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lorenkerns/6201341251/sizes/l" target="_blank">lorenkerns</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/usaghumphreys/6205522425/sizes/l" target="_blank">USAG-Humphreys</a>&nbsp;used under the Creative Commons license</em></p>