TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | FEB. 21-27, 2020 25
What to know
about learning
disabilities and
summer camp
When choosing a
summer camp
program for a
child with learning
disabilities, the most
important question to is,
“will they understand
and take good care of my
child?”
This can be answered
by lengthy conversations
with camp personnel or
the director. If a camp is
too busy to return your
phone calls, or take the
time to talk at length with
you, will it be too busy for
your child as well?
Regardless of all that
a camp may have to offer,
if the director or the staff
are too busy for you now,
it should be a red flag!
Find a camp that will
give you and your child
the time and attention
that you both deserve.
Consider these factors
when determining
what camp program will
best fit the needs of your
child:
Type of program
Decide early in the
process what type of program
you want for your
child. Camps are offered
as day programs (campers
go home at night) and
residential programs
(campers board at the
camp facility for the
length of their stay).
Length of programs
vary from as short as a
few days to several weeks.
Be certain that your child
is ready to cope with the
length of the program
you select.
Camp programs are
available in both samesex
formats and co-ed.
Consider your child’s
social skills level and
ability to cope with the
demands of mixed-sex
social situations when
deciding which of these
environments would be
best.
Program philosophy
should be clearly stated in
the camp literature. Your
family should be comfortable
with this philosophy
and confident that it will
deliver an enjoyable experience
for your child.
Of particular importance
is the camp’s
policy regarding family
communication with the
child. Will the child be
expected, in fact encouraged,
to write to her family
during the camp stay?
Will phone calls to and
from home be allowed?
Children with learning
disabilities often have
differing needs for family
contact and you should
be certain that the camp
policy will not conflict
with those needs.
Type of camp
There are many
choices! Your child can
be mainstreamed into a
regular camp setting, or
be at a camp that focuses
on her particular needs.
There are also camps that
mix up the needs, such as
learning disabled, emotionally
disabled, and
physically disabled. And
then there are camps that
truly specialize. You’ll
need to decide which
type of environment will
best address your child’s
needs.
Size
What are you ideally
looking for? Camps range
in size from 500 or more
children per session to
as small as 30 to 35 per
session. It is purely a personal
decision for each
family. Make a point of
asking the camp director
for information about the
number of campers in the
program.
Educational or
recreational?
Many camps for learning
disabled children are
purely recreational, while
other programs combine
both recreational and educational
activities. Some
programs, while calling
themselves “camp,” have
a strong instructional
focus. Inquire about the
percentage of camp time
devoted to varying activities
and decide what
mix will best serve your
child’s specific needs.
Location and facilities
Choose the type of
setting that you think
your child will enjoy.
The eastern half of
the country has many
beautiful lake-front and
forest locations. Many
camps are schools that
convert to camp or summer
school during the
summer months. There
are fewer camps in the
west, but the west offers
a completely different
experience because of
the Rocky Mountains
and the distinctive western
culture. Some camps
are very luxurious and
others are true camping
experiences. Ask about
eating, sleeping, and
bathing facilities and
be sure that your child
will feel comfortable in
the particular setting offered
by the camp.
Staff
The American Camping
Association requires
one counselor for each
eight children. When
dealing with learningdisabled
children, a ratio
of one to four is preferred.
For residential programs,
be sure to determine the
level of staff supervision
in the evening hours. You
want your child to receive
the attention she needs in
the camp environment.
In addition, it is important
to determine if the
teachers or counselors
are educated, certified,
and trained to work with
children with learning
disabilities.
In addition, determine
the level of medical
training the staff has received.
If your child takes
regular medication, will
trained staff be on duty
each day to administer
the medication?
Summer camp should
focus on enhancing your
child’s self-esteem and
independence. The successful
camp experience
should improve social
skills and provide quality
peer relationships.
Camp Guide
/QNS.COM
