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Campers with Special Needs

Camp directors have long been reporting that the number of campers arriving with emotional, psychological or behavioral issues appears to be increasing. With the rise in the number of children requiring special attention so have the number of difficulties in providing a safe and fun environment for both campers and staff.

Recent estimates in the United States show that about one in six/seven, or about 16/17%, of children aged 3 through 17 years have one or more developmental disabilities. That’s about 4.7 million children. At least 1.8 million of those children attend summer camps and odds are that some of them will apply to and attend yours.

Proper staff training in handling special needs children is an important part of any camp’s preparation for the summer.  Training should occur on two levels: the general counselor should be aware of the various needs of children with difficulties and acquire a basic skill set for handling these issues;   counselor specialists need to be trained in the proper ways of working with special needs children in the mainstream environment.
 

Who would make a good special needs counsel?

While a trained and experienced special education or mental health care professional would be the ideal counselor, most mainstream camps hire college age staff members. Though the candidate selection should not be limited, a good place to start would be someone who has already demonstrated an interest in working with this population in their studies, both on the graduate and undergraduate level (for example: students majoring in psychology, social work, physical therapy and like).  Individuals who are interested in becoming special needs counselors will also need to have the personality to handle the stress and strain of the job. 

A patient, caring, quick thinking, problem solver with lots of energy is the ideal candidate.  The candidate also needs to have excellent social skills not only to exhibit to the campers and help guide them accordingly but to handle the inevitable interactions that will occur with other campers and staff who may not be as forgiving as the special needs counselor.
 

What qualifies as a problem that some children may experience?

Below is a brief list of some of the difficulties you may encounter with some of children at camp.
 

          Difficulty                                                               Description
 

• Addiction                                   Physical & psychological dependence on a substance

• Anxiety/PTSD/Trauma               Fearful response to environmental stimuli

• Asperger's Disorder                   Poor social skills, social awkwardness, lack of empathy

      (autism Spectrum disorder)      

• Bipolar Disorder                        Extreme depression and/or mania

• Depression                               Extreme ‘lows’

• Disruptive Behavior                   Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder

• Eating Disorders                        High emotionality, unusual attitudes/behaviors about weight & eating

• Schizophrenia                           Thought and perception distortions

• Tic Disorders                             Repeated, involuntary motions & sounds