As an Episcopalian priest become funeral director, I have been privileged to attend a camp for children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or friend. Children grieve differently and that grief is not always recognized, acknowledged and supported. Camps for grieving children provide a safe place to grieve by talking about the deceased, engaging in projects and activities that the children and deceased might have done and by forming talking circles where campers may share memories and stories of the deceased. Individuals who are experienced in working with grieving youth are available at specific times or as needed to listen, console, counsel, and support a grieving child.

The support that the children receive is not clinical and formal. When a child asks to speak with a counselor or simply finds a counselor and begins her/his story, the counselor works toward a relaxed and affirming atmosphere. Some of the children find the death of a sibling frightening, and wonder if they too, might die during their youth. No promises are made while much hope is offered. Children with this fear may be asked what they think about death, what they would like to know about death, if they would like a special counselor to join the session while they talk about death. This places the camper in control of the experience and allows them to take in more than if they were not able to make decisions regarding how and with whom their feelings are shared.

Most of these camps are not grounded in a religion or theology; however, children do raise questions regarding death and specific religious traditions. One nine year old girl was distraught because one of her best friends was a Conservative Jew and was buried in a Jewish cemetery only a few blocks from her home. Her parents, who practiced a traditional form of Christianity, told her that as a Christian she may not enter the Jewish Cemetery. So, we discussed how we can pray anywhere for anyone or anything. I then asked Jean if she would like to pray for her friend right now. She began and as she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks. She held my hand and wished her friend peace and hoped that she had found friends in heaven. I asked Jean if she thought her friends might be playing with the angels and she replied that she thought so, especially if they had beautiful curly hair and halos.

Not every child could or would speak specifically about their loss. We honored the various places where they were in grief and remained available to be with those who wanted or needed us individually. During activities, we found that homeruns, tennis wins, dances, and other events were dedicated to the deceased. Often our nightly campfires were surrounded by quiet time of remembering and then several favorite songs of campers and/or those they had shared with the deceased.

We staff folks believe that each and every child left camp changed and better able to handle the grief that they bore. We, too, learned much from the courage and sharing of the campers.

- Claudia Windal

The early 1980’s brought about a life changing discovery for persons living with Hemophilia. Rather than using Cryoprecipitate to slow and stop life threatening bleeds, condensed and “powdered” clotting factor was available and working as well as the Cryo. Cryo needed to be kept frozen and then thawed slowly when needed. This meant that it might take up to an hour before a bleed could be treated making permanent damage from the bleed a reality for many. As an RN working at a camp for boys and young men living with Hemophilia, this discovery was well received.

The first year that we used “Factor” an increased number of boys wanted to learn to start their own IV’s. Yes, both Cryo and Factor are administered intravenously. By the end of our two week session, an eight year old was the youngest to successfully start his own IV’s. We supplied tourniquets with Velcro in order to make tightening the tourniquet easier. I instructed most of the boys showing them how to palpate and find veins, cleanse the skin, insert the needle and begin the infusion of the clotting factor.

Our approach to living with Hemophilia was to make caring for bleeds a normal part of day to day life. Once the boys adopted an attitude that this is how they would be living their lives and grew confident initiating care (increasing to self infusion) the easier it would be for their parents to lighten up on their natural reaction to treat the boys as if they were fragile and incapable of caring for themselves. Our goal was to have the boys move from fear to living their lives fully. The campers were instructed to let us know when they were having a bleed so that we could monitor the seriousness and initiate further treatment if necessary. We did not interfere with the self care the camper had initiated unless questions or concerns arose.

Understandably, parents of boys living with Hemophilia want to keep them in bubble wrapping and safe. The self sufficiency our boys developed assisted greatly in changing over protection to more appropriate concern and protection. The final day of camp was spent with the boys and their parents together with demonstrations of what they boys had learned and the sharing of special projects and awards. These courageous boys and their parents and siblings all left camp will the ability to meet new challenges and to live life to its fullest.

- Claudia Windal

When you have a son or daughter with a disability, you may believe that your options are limited for summer camps. In reality, there are hundreds of summer camps that cater to all different types of disabilities.

If your child or teen suffers from a physical disability, such as blindness, hearing impairment, Cerebral Palsy, or paralysis, there are many camps that can provide a fun-filled experience for your child. Dozens of summer camps are specially made with physical disabilities in mind. Some special needs camps even feature a swimming pool that is specifically designed for people with disabilities. Children of all ages can join together to experience most of the same activities that other summer camps provide. Nature and hiking trails are often available, and range in difficulty, so that every camper can enjoy them, regardless of the severity of their disability.

If your child suffers from a mental, developmental or learning disability, such as ADD/ADHD, Down Syndrome, OCD, or autism, numerous summer camps are available. Often, sending your child to a summer camp specifically designed to accommodate these types of disabilities or disorders, ensures that your child will be around camp counselors and medical staff who are familiar with your child’s special needs. Special needs summer camps can provide even the most worried parent with comfort knowing that their child is being well taken care of and that their special needs are being met. Special needs camps are also better prepared to handle the activity levels of many different children, and often provide them with numerous options during the day.

Research:

Always research multiple camps. Not every camp designed for children with special needs will be a good match for your child and his or her specific needs. Some summer camps only work with children with specific special needs, while other camps welcome a broader array of disabilities and disorders. Decide what type of camp you feel will best benefit your child or teen based on the level of individual care you feel he or she may need.

Compare prices for similar summer camps. You may find two or three summer camps that are perfect, so why not take advantage of the most cost efficient camp? Many summer camps also offer some type of monetary aid or scholarship to help lessen the financial burden on parents.

Find out the counselor to camper ratio. Some children need more personal care than others, so choosing a summer camp that has a sufficient counselor to camper ratio is very important. If your child is very independent, you may be satisfied with a ratio that is lower, but, if your child or teen requires a lot of assistance, a higher level of one-on-one care may be needed. Also research the type of medical facilities provided by the camp. If your child is dependent on medication, it may be important that a nurse that understands your child’s needs is always on duty.

A child with special needs should never be denied the opportunity to experience summer camp. While it may be difficult to find a camp that suits your child’s every need, there is an ever growing market of summer camps designed for children and teens with special needs, ensuring that parents everywhere can find a camp for their son or daughter.

- Robin Weimer