Random Musings of a Curious Mind

I was reading a really interesting article about an increase in the number of camps for kids and teens with special needs and realized that spending a week or two at camp can be more than just fun. The camps I'm talking about are for children, and often adults, with chronic illnesses, developmental disabilities, or physical limitations. Most are staffed by medical professionals and adults with the same condition; people who understand and appreciate the difficulties that these youngsters face.

Unlike worried parents, no one is hovering over them. For, sometimes, the first time in their young lives, they are treated like normal kids. There is a sense of acceptance and camaraderie that helps overcome shyness and common feelings of being an outsider or an oddity among their peers.

More than that, many of the camps mentioned in the article teach the kids about their illnesses. One teenager, at a camp for kids with heart disease, never knew why he had to take blood thinners. Another young boy, with epilepsy, had an exaggerated mental image of how seizures looked, based on the reactions of his friends and family. Both of these kids learned important lessons about their conditions, while having fun at camp.

If you have or know a child who suffers from a chronic condition or disability, there are a ton of great places for them to spend some time this summer. And they might just learn something about themselves in the bargain.