Choosing Summer Camps For Kids With Special Needs #CMHMoms

This post brought to you Children’s Mercy. All opinions are my own.

Summer camps for kids are already sending out mailers and information for enrollment, but for some parents it can be tough to decide if their child is able to attend. There are some medical conditions and special needs in children that make it difficult to attend a traditional summer camp for kids. We are bringing you some great tips from Children’s Mercy, as well as some great camps that are options for your child.

Choosing Summer Camps For Kids With Special Needs

As a parent with a child who has special needs of any kind, you know that making choices about who they spend time with and what they do each day is even more stressful. It’s not just about generic safety, but specific things that can be highly dangerous for your child due to their condition. When choosing summer camps for kids with special needs, you want to keep a few specific things in mind.

Is the staff properly trained to deal with your child’s needs? There are many levels of needs for individual children. You need to ask questions regarding their routine, safety in foods, sleep or rest schedules and even the number of nurses or doctors on staff should emergencies arise.

Is the camp close enough to you to reach quickly should a need arise? While you don’t want to think about potential for an emergency happening, for some special needs this is something to have plans for should it occur. Think about the time it would take you to arrive and assist or be there for your child if needed. A closer location to your home is helpful.

Will the camp staff understand your kids unique needs or quirks? No two children are alike, but special needs children in all arenas are definitely a bit different have unique quirks that some may not know how to handle or manage. A well-trained staff is imperative to maintain order in camp, but also to help your kids feel accepted and understood.

Will your child be able to enjoy traditional camp experiences modified for their safety? You don’t want to send your kids to summer camp to only find they are in a medical structure and doing nothing more than what they would at home. Summer camps for kids are all about fun, new and exciting adventures. You want to make sure the camp you choose has great opportunities that have been adapted for your kids needs.

One amazing thing we have learned from Children’s Mercy is that all of the camps they have arranged in the Kansas City area will meet these questions head on with the answers you are looking for. Whether your child has ADHD and needs a flexible structure, or they struggle with juvenile arthritis and need adaptations to limit their pain, these camps are ideal for your special needs child.

This year, you can send your kids to on of these amazing summer camps for kids designed just for those with specific needs that don’t fit easily into a traditional summer camp atmosphere.

* ADHD Summer Treatment Program

* Camp ChiMer for kids With Kidney Disease

* Camp Joint Adventures for kids with Juvenile Arthritis

* Centerview Food Allergy Management Day Camp

Centerview Food Allergy Management has scheduled a summer camp for kids that will last just a few days in Kansas City from June 24th-26th, 2016. This camp will be a safe place for kids to attend a few days with no fears of eating a cooking or lunch that could cause them health issues. It is a safe place any parent can send their child and have no fears of a peanut showing up in the same room as their child and causing a reaction. They will meet each day and do classic camp activities, make friends and eat safe for them snacks.

This is just one of many summer camps for kids that is a healthy and safe place to send your child who has a special need this summer. While this list is a great beginning, there are thousands of special summer camps nationwide for children with ADHD, Cancer, Autism, and more.

As a special needs parent, have you considered sending your child to summer camp this year?

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