“Brendan has more eye contact now,” Burdett added. “Aidan, getting him out of his shell is very much a big deal.” For parents who have children with disabilities, the separation is naturally easier to bear with day camps than sleep-away programs. Those can prove especially difficult as some have strict rules that limit communication with family to establish a sense of independence. “I do think campers need to have that separated experience, but staff could be more willing to communicate with families,” Miller-Raines said. In 2010, she was camp director at Talisman Summer Camp in North Carolina, which served young people on the autism spectrum or diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). “The camp I worked at, there were weekly phone calls,” she said. “A lot of camps don’t do that.” Instead, most camp administrators update families on children’s progress. Amiri’s increased independence is likely linked to the amount of time he spends at camp, which has extended each year, his mother said. In 2017, he went for six weeks. Leib said campers benefit greatly by attending for at least a month. “We recommend at least three consecutive weeks,” she said. “Week one they’re figuring it out. Week two they’re getting comfortable, and by three, they’ve got it.” Indeed, by that third week, campers have a found a sense of independence, belonging and camaraderie. Inclusive summer camps demonstrate children with and without disabilities not only want to feel included in every type
“Brendan has more eye contact now,” Burdett added. “Aidan, getting him out of his shell is very much a big deal.” For parents who have children with disabilities, the separation is naturally easier to bear with day camps than sleep-away programs. Those can prove especially difficult as some have strict rules that limit communication with family to establish a sense of independence. “I do think campers need to have that separated experience, but staff could be more willing to communicate with families,” Miller-Raines said. In 2010, she was camp director at Talisman Summer Camp in North Carolina, which served young people on the autism spectrum or diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). “The camp I worked at, there were weekly phone calls,” she said. “A lot of camps don’t do that.” Instead, most camp administrators update families on children’s progress. Amiri’s increased independence is likely linked to the amount of time he spends at camp, which has extended each year, his mother said. In 2017, he went for six weeks. Leib said campers benefit greatly by attending for at least a month. “We recommend at least three consecutive weeks,” she said. “Week one they’re figuring it out. Week two they’re getting comfortable, and by three, they’ve got it.” Indeed, by that third week, campers have a found a sense of independence, belonging and camaraderie. Inclusive summer camps demonstrate children with and without disabilities not only want to feel included in every type