Cases of swine flu may popping up at summer camps all over the country, but both medical experts and the American Camp Association say there's no reason to keep your child home this summer.

"It's important for parents to know it's safe to send their healthy child to camp. Camp is an extraordinary experience, providing friendship, leadership, and enrichment activities," says Peg Smith, chief executive office of the American Camp Association. "ACA-accredited camps have been monitoring the H1N1 situation since mid-April, and they are doing everything they can to provide a safe and healthy environment."

Indeed, camps like the Frost Valley Y.M.C.A camp in Claryville, NY are adding some new chores to their pre-camp checklist, such as wiping down doorknobs with bleach and preparing three negative-pressure isolation rooms to accommodate any campers who may fall ill.

"We think we're ahead of the curve, but who knows?" says Jerry Huncosky, chief executive officer of Frost Valley. "I think it's the 'who knows?' that we're preparing for."

New York City physician Dr. Erika Schwartz is medical director of Cinergy Health, and she says Frost Valley is doing exactly what it should to prepare for the swine flu -- and, she says, it is also what camps already know how to do.

"Making sure kids in camp take regular showers, cleaning the facilities regularly and isolating kids with fevers, coughs and runny noses are all part of good camp routine," says Schwartz. "Swine flu is the same issue as any other contagious airborne, particle and food-borne infection...the ability to identify the problem quickly, contain its spread by quarantine of the [initial] case and anyone else showing signs is very important, and it is exactly what camps know how to do and are always prepared to do."

The ACA's Smith concurs, and points out that the American Camp Association has strict standards for it's accredited camps: "ACA health and wellness standards require accredited camps to have an established procedure in practice to carefully screen for illness, injury, and communicable diseases. Campers must be screened within 24 hours of arriving at camp."

Frost Valley is doing just that, by adding questions about fevers and other flu-like symptoms to it's opening-day medical screenings. But of you're still wary, don't be shy about contacting the camp and asking what they're doing to deal with or prepare for an outbreak of swine flu.

"Communicate and partner with your camp director to prepare for a healthy, positive camp experience," says Smith. "Concerned parents should contact their camp director to discuss their health and safety procedures." The ACA has also prepared a short video addressing common concerns, and it can be found at the CampParents website.

I took an informal Twitter poll, and the overwhelming response was that most people are sending their kids to camp with confidence. The best advice is to keep your kid home if they have symptoms: fever, lethargy, sore throat. Get them checked out if you think they might have contracted swine flu. But otherwise? Send them to camp, so you can all enjoy your summer.

Are you keeping your kids home from camp because of swine flu fears?