Should You Send Your Child with Autism to a Regular Summer Camp?

by

02 November 2018

Kids

Summer camp can be a meaningful experience for any child, full of opportunities for social and emotional growth, independence and exciting new activities.  Any good camp is designed to provide all of these and more for children, but how do you determine whether a program is prepared to help your child with autism access the benefits and have a good time?  When should you choose a specialty camp and when is “regular” camp appropriate for your child?

Most parents wish for their child to fit in and enjoy being in typical social environments.  We would prefer them to be in regular classes, normal extracurricular activities and the same camps as their peers.  But which is more important, the “fitting in” part of the “typical” part?  Anxiety decreases and learning increases when a person feels feel comfortable, normal and accepted in a setting.  If this can be achieved in a regular camp, that may be an appropriate choice for your child.  If, however, they feel like the odd person out, like they can’t catch up or don’t “get it” like their peers, it could be detrimental to their self-esteem.

A regular summer camp can be a good choice if the staff is trained in neurological and developmental differences and how to support the unique needs of a child with autism, such as allowing greater time for transitions, chunking tasks, and offering frequent downtime.  A child with a lot of social skills training who has a good set of coping strategies and ability to self-advocate may feel comfortable navigating a typical camp setting.  In this case, encourage the director to emphasize an appreciation for differences at least within your child’s cabin, and preferably the whole camp.

For many children with autism, a camp designed especially for them is the better choice.  Staff is well-trained in neuro-development, common autism characteristics, and strategies for guiding their campers through a positive experience.  They know they will need to help with friendship-making skills, independent living routines, and reducing anxiety through pre-processing activities.  More than that, when campers are surrounded by peers who are “like them”, they can finally relax in a place where they feel normal.  Everyone is struggling with some set of social skills, everyone needs a little extra time to process new information, and almost everyone has a sensory issue.  For most children, this is a relief, not a punishment.

Parents will sometimes ask us at Talisman Summer Camp how their children can learn social skills if everyone is struggling.  But each of our campers has different strengths and weaknesses.  One may be an excellent conversationalist with no sense of personal space; another might be very respectful of space but have a hard time changing from one activity to another; a third may totally “get” sarcasm and only eat beige foods.  They all have strengths they can model for each other, and it is also perfectly normal to talk about these things in their group, so they can grow together.  In this way, no one camper is always the learner.  And the staff are there to provide guidance in all areas.

Remember when assessing whether to send your child with autism to a regular or specialty camp to keep in mind where they will feel comfortable enough to relax and have fun.  Ask many questions of each camp, keep your child’s wellbeing central and you will be able to make a good choice for them.

Read Also:

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

slider-img

Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe in a Car

Whether they love it or not, kids can’t really bypass traveling in a car. Commuting to school, going on a road trip or accompanying parents to the grandma’s house, the list is endless. Unfortunately, not all these trips have a happy ending. Despite following all car seat rules and safe driving tips, car accidents remain one of the leading causes of concern in the US. In fact, reports say motor vehicle injuries remain the leading cause of death among children in the United States. According to the car crash doctors, at least twelve children under the age of ten are killed or injured as passing. Here are more tips to keep your kids safe in a car. Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe in a Car: There are some very clear dos and don’ts while driving with a child on-board. These include:Children under the age of three are not allowed to travel in a car without proper arrangements like an age appropriate car seatChildren should have proper seatbelts, according to their height. This isn’t the one used by the adultsChildren under the age of twelve and below 135cm in height should use a child restraintAccording to a 2013 report, almost 638 children of twelve years and below died in motor vehicle crashes and more than 1, 27,250 were injured. 38 percent of these deaths were due to no seatbelts. It has also been found that more than 6, 18,000 children from in the age bracket 0-12 travel in a car without any proper child safety seat. This clearly explains why car crashes are one of the leading causes of death among children. Chances of Risk Reduction:Several studies and reports including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic safety facts, 2013 data have a few startling revelations. Use these as pointers to minimize the risk for your kid: Proper car seats reduce death percentage among infants and toddlers by 71 and 54 percent respectivelyWhen compared to the seatbelts, booster seats reduce the risk of serious injury for children between the age of four and eight by 45 percentAs for older children, seatbelts reduce the percentage of car crash injuries and death by almost halfCar Seat Arrangement: 0-2 years – Kids within this age group should be properly buckled up in a rear-facing position at the backseat. This place should be retained until they have reached the upper weight or height limits of the particular seat. You need to check the car manuals to know the weight and height limits.2-5 years – Once your children outgrow the rear-facing seats, they must be buckled in a forward-facing car seat until they reach the age of five and cross the allotted weight limit.5+ — Beyond the age of five, make sure your child fits the allotted seat in the car along with the seatbelt. In case they have outgrown it, get a booster seat with a proper seatbelt that fits them properly. The lap belt should be properly buckled up across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt must cross the chest and not the neck.Once the seatbelt of the car fits the child properly, there is no need to use a booster seat. Although your kid can travel in the front seat, try to avoid it for reasons of safety. Instead, keep them properly buckled in the backseat. Also, do not buy secondhand car seats for your kids because that could be unsafe. It is quite surprising that most of the accidents occur in short journeys. Also, no matter how minor an injury your kid sustains in a car crash, take him immediately to a car crash doctor and treat him thoroughly. A little bit of caution can save the life of your child. So drive carefully!Read Also:Dos and Don’ts After a Car Crash Are You Thinking About Buying Quad Bike For Your Kid? 5 Safety Features in Your Maruti Car You Did Not Know About

READ MOREDetails
Outdoor Activities

7 Fun and Simple Outdoor Activities for Your Child Under Ten

Children, particularly under ten years of age, require more attention from their parents. Your child may like to watch TV or play indoor games all day but you have to make it to the outdoors. This is because doing regular outdoor activities keeps your child fit and healthy. Also, it enhances your child’s creativity and thinking ability. It is crucial for optimal physical and cognitive development.Here are seven simple yet fun-filled outdoor activities which your child can perform regularly to play healthily: 1. Draw with Colorful Chalks: Kids find colorful chalks very attractive and like to draw with them whenever they get the chance. So, you can take them outside the home to some muddy area where they could draw with different chalks. It’s a simple yet fun-filled activity which can also make your child more creative. Adding to it, they can learn various new things while drawing freely with chalks. In case you don’t find any nearby muddy area, you can use a mini blackboard for the same purpose. Moreover, doing any activity outdoor increases levels of creativity of your child. Therefore, you must take your child to a nearby park or garden for this purpose. 2. Play With Hula Hoop: Playing with hula hoops in the outdoors is an absolute fun especially for your child who is under ten years of age. On top of that, it’s a playful way to keep your child physically active and hence healthier. You can take your child to a garden or a nearby playground for playing hula hoops. 3. Get an Electric Scooter: Riding an electric scooter is the simplest way to have outdoor fun. It also keeps your child physically active and energetic. Electric scooters are not simply for the young ones but also for the adults. Therefore, you can opt for electric scooter racing with your child to make as much outdoor fun as possible with it. Click here to check out the best electric scooters for your child. 4. Head towards the Beach: Heading towards a beach with your child is a simple idea to have fun. Beach offers so much mud with which your child can play in various ways. For instance, your child can make sand castles or draw anything with fingers on the muddy area. You can also help him build sand castles on the beach. 5. Capture the Nature: Children under ten years of age are always excited to learn new things and explore nature. Just take your child outside, hold him a camera and ask him to take pictures of whatever he sees around. It could be greenery, snow, bridges, transport, roads, people or anything. 6. Gun Painting: Most kids like painting and playing with colors. They would enjoy doing it with a color splashing gun. You can take your child to a certain garden or playland for gun painting. It’s an enjoyable way of keeping your child happy and active. 7. Catch and Throw Water Balloons: Balloons are probably the favorite playable thing for kids. They actually find balloons really attractive and fun-filled objects. Hence, throwing water balloons on one another in an open ground or green area is a hell of a fun for kids. In addition, using colorful water to fill the balloons will make this activity more cheerful.Read Also:Ways To Improve Children’s Parties 7 Important Tips For Planning An Outdoor Event

READ MOREDetails
Coding

Kids Will Get These Benefits if They Learn Coding

Coding is not necessarily the first thing you think of when asked what your kids do at school. Coding involves programming language and writing lines of code. You associate these tasks with professionals who want to pursue a career in this industry.However, several educational institutions now introduce coding in the curriculum. It seems like the world has become more dependent on the internet these days, and knowledge of coding is an advantage. Whether kids ultimately become professional programmers or not, they will receive these benefits from learning to code. Creative thinking: Coding involves building computer games and animation movies. Kids not only learn coding language in the process, but they also explore ideas. They become creative. They learn how to tell stories and create characters. They don't limit themselves with rote learning but look at things from different perspectives. Problem-solving skills: Coding involves lots of problem-solving. During the process, children learn how to find the best method to solve a problem. The solutions may or may not work, but they can at least try. They also learn how to work hard until they accomplish their goals, and not give up because they find something too difficult to solve. Teamwork: Coding for kids does not only involve one person. The process requires several minds to think together. They need to communicate with other kids, discuss the best techniques and negotiate. These are skills you usually associate with adults, but it is not too early to introduce them to kids. Presentation skills: Kids don't only work on the code. They also need to present their output. They discuss what they did in the process. Along the way, they learn how to present themselves and feel confident when talking in public. Self-learning: It is not good to keep telling kids what to learn and how to learn. At some point, they need to have the freedom to discover things without assistance, or with minimal supervision. It is one of the benefits kids will receive if they try coding. They will receive the task, and it is up to them how they make the most of what they receive. Build friendships: Kids bond when they share the same interests. Those who love speaking and discussing will most likely hang out in the same place. Those who love math will work together on problems during the break. The same thing can happen with kids who enjoy coding. They will work together and even spend more time with each other outside the class. Boost self-confidence: You can't expect kids to excel in all areas of learning. Some of them might find it difficult to do well in school because they feel like they are not good at anything. With the addition of coding in the curriculum, they might finally find something they feel interested in doing, and it will make them feel confident.Given these benefits, you need to find a school that offers coding as part of the curriculum or enrol your child in a place to learn how to code.Read Also:Online Services To Help Student Can A School Be Legally Responsible For A Student’s Suicide? 5 Strategies For Parents To Help Kids With ADHD Perform Better At School

READ MOREDetails