Flying down a zipline … canoeing down a river … camping under the stars … making friends … cooking on an open fire … becoming more independent. Most parents of children with disabilities may say that these things are not for their child. “My child in a wheelchair can not participate on a climbing tower. My child that wanders can not sleep outside under the stars. My child with seizures can not go canoeing down a river. My child that relies on me to meet all of their needs can not become more independent.” But all of these things can happen and do happen every year at summer camps.
Thousands of children and adults with mild to severe disabilities attend camps all over the country every year; and every year the campers grow as people. Each person can benefit from attending a camp program. Along with the camper, the families can benefit greatly from sending a child to camp. But there is a fear of many parents and families to send an individual with disabilities away to a camp. It is hard to allow someone to take complete responsibility for your loved one, especially if it is an individual with involved disabilities that even you some times struggle in meeting all of their needs. One parent with a son with severe cognitive delays and physical disabilities stated, “Our son is 14 years old and I didn’t think we could send Jimmy anywhere because he is so involved and critical. We’ve used the camp for four years now. Jim was in good shape when he came home and was genuinely well taken care of.”
Campers with disabilities can benefit in many ways from attending a camp. Camp is a unique environment that allows a camper to experience many different things that the parents may not have the expertise, time, supplies or energy to provide that opportunity to their child. A parent of a camper with autism that attends Easter Seals Respite Camp in Wisconsin Dells commented, “Jared has benefited by experiencing so many things that we don’t have the energy to try with him because of challenging behaviors in public. It opens up his life so much because we can’t do it.”
The benefits seen in camp expand much further then the new experiences. The American Camp Association (ACA) conducted a study of camper outcomes including self-esteem, independence, friendship skills, social comfort, peer relationships, adventure & exploration, and environmental awareness. These areas all reported significant growth; and there was substantial evidence that much of the growth was maintained six months later. (ACA, 2005)
Camps for people with disabilities allow the camper to have a place where they fit in. “When I’m at Camp Wawbeek, my disability just melts away,” says Ashley, who has been attending Easter Seals Camp Wawbeek for 10 years. “The people there don’t really care what disability you have. Instead, you are accepted for who you are.” The campers get the chance to meet people that are just like them and that understand what they are going through.
The National Camp Evaluation Project (NCEP) conducted a study of children with disabilities in specialized residential outdoor programs and found that significant growth was found in the campers. From pre- and post- test scores from parents and counselors the areas of significant growth included social interaction, communication, self-help, independence, and self-esteem (Brannan, et al., 2003).
Camp is also a great opportunity for campers to gain independence. Many parents and caregivers are very hesitant about sending a child with disabilities to a camp setting. Often times parents have never been away from their child overnight and the camp experience can be very nerve racking. “We didn’t realize that Elijah needed this way more then we did to promote his independence. He is gong on eight years old and hasn’t been away from us before,” reported a first time camp parent.
Young adults with disabilities are community placed in group homes or residential facilities. This becomes a very hard transition if the individual has never been away from their homes and families before. Camp is a great chance to start the transition process. The camper receives the opportunity to be away from home in a fun environment. At the end of the session the camper learns that they are going to be picked up so that their stress is less. This process may be challenging for both the camper and parent at first, but in the long run it gets easier and really does increase the camper’s independence.
“Our family looks forward each summer for the week Kyle is at camp. It really gives us the freedom for those six days to come and go as we please. We have three children without any disabilities so we have the luxury to just pick up and go without the need to worry about who is going to watch Kyle or where he can go for the day,” commented an Easter Seals Respite Camp parent.
Taking care of an individual with disabilities can be very draining on the entire family. Often times, through no fault of the parents, siblings of the child with disabilities are pushed to the side because the care and attention required is very great. Finding a place where an individual with a disability can go that the caregivers trust will allow the family to have a guilt-free break and allow siblings to have the undivided attention of their parents.
Some parents and caregivers feel guilty when they think of sending the child with disabilities to a camp in order to have some peace in their own lives. One parent of a first-time camper commented, “The break was nice. It’s hard to admit that, because you feel guilty for saying that you need or want that break.” Often having a child that needs a lot of care away from the home allows parents to do basic things that many take for granted such as housework, shopping, getting away for a couple of days, sleeping through a night, or visiting with family.
Having these breaks can help keep the families together and keep the camper at home longer. Knowing that a camp session is coming up can get a caregiver through those really stressful moments. And being rejuvenated during that time away can give the caregiver a new energy to keep going.
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