LAKE TWP, Mercer County - For many children, going to camp is a typical part of summer. The experience allows them to socialize, play games and enjoy the outdoors away from home.

The children visiting McKeever Environmental Learning Center last week did all of those things, but their camping experience was slightly different.

A pediatrician was onsite around the clock, and the campers wiggled in their chairs with raised hands, shouting out answers like "air quality action day" and "ozone" during classroom questions about the environment.

The children were attending an asthma camp sponsored by the American Lung Association, a program designed to offer safety for children and comfort for parents.

Since exercise, pollen and weather are among factors that trigger asthma attacks, parents are sometimes leery of sending affected children to camp, said Gina Menz, a respiratory therapist and assistant vice president of community outreach for the lung association.

Attacks of the chronic inflammatory respiratory disease cause airways to become inflamed and constrict.

Symptoms of an attack include wheezing, shortness of breath and a tight feeling in the chest. When severe attacks are left untreated, victims can lose consciousness and die from lack of oxygen.

Because of improved medications - including inhaled steroids introduced about 20 years ago - severe attacks are occurring less often, said camp pediatrician Allen Fagenholz, whose skills had not been required that day.

"We have oxygen and I'm not going to use it," joked Menz, explaining she was optimistic the children would get through the three-day camp without needing assistance, as had been the case in 2004.

"We want them to feel like they are at camp just like any other kid that goes to camp," she said.

In addition to the presence of Fagenholz of Erie, who specializes in lung disease, the camp includes asthma education for children and a special session for parents on the last day.

Betsy Mallison, a state Department of Environmental Protection community relations representative, spoke to the campers about environmental factors that affect their condition. "Hi. I have asthma too," Mallison said to begin her program. "It's hard to breathe today, isn't it? Do you know why?"Mallison then explained how humidity can interact with pollution to create conditions that hinder breathing.The group also learned about the Clean Air Act of 1972, as well as the importance of fueling vehicles after 7 p.m. on muggy days, since the gas fumes in certain conditions create ground-level ozone."Good up high, bad nearby," some of the children later repeated about the desirability of stratospheric versus ground-level ozone.Asthma education was also reinforced during relay races. At one of the relay sites, the required activity entailed slipping a rubber band over a "bronchial" tube to illustrate how airways might constrict due to asthma.Although some of the children said they enjoyed the games and other mainstream elements of camp, a few also said attending the specialized program offered comfort.Nathan Guterry, 14, of West Sunbury said he appreciated the awareness of his asthma since the condition first appeared at a conventional summer camp in which attendees ran a mile each day. "I thought I was getting sick," he said of the exercise-induced asthma he didn't know he had."At normal camps they treat you like you don't have asthma," he said."It makes me feel a little more comfortable," agreed 9-year-old Rachel Shirey of Portersville, who said she had needed two breathing treatments with a nebulizer in May."I kind of feel better because at school not a lot of kids have asthma," agreed 10-year-old Stephen Kowalski of Cranberry Township, attending camp with his siblings Todd and Maria, also 11."We all have asthma here. We're no different from each other. It gives us something in common," added Andy Ortiz, an 11-year-old girl from Erie."I'm only a little afraid, because I (once) got flown to Pittsburgh in a helicopter - and that scared me a little."Like many of the campers, the Kowalski triplets said they learned a few things about asthma and the environment, but were most interested in recreation.Fishing and boating were on the first day's agenda. Swimming and movies were planned for Day 2."We talk about other things," Todd Kowalski said, noting ordinary conversation was more typical among campers than talks about asthma."We learn about asthma, that's the only thing that's different," his sister Maria echoed. "I hope I can come next year, because it's fun."Menz said although similar camps have been offered for more than 20 years in the eastern part of the state, this year's free camp marked the second held in Western Pennsylvania.Although 18 children attended the first year, this year's group totaled 24, she said, adding the goal was to "grow" the program in future years.For more information about asthma and other lung diseases, visit the American Lung Association Web site at www.lungusa.org.