Many traditional camps have bunks or small programs for campers with special needs; while other special needs camps may have assigned weeks for a specific diagnoses, a camp for children with Down Syndrome, or a week for campers with autism.
Although we may not have a weeklong camp for children with Down Syndrome, or a weeklong camp for children with autism, what we do have is an individualized seven-week program that allows each camper to bring their personal abilities and strengths to their group. This provides the campers with an age appropriate and social peer group with diverse strengths. We do not base groups on a diagnoses, we focus on building an appropriate social and emotional group setting that will benefit each and every camper in that group.
Our biggest question is not – what is your child’s diagnoses and do we have a week or a special cabin for that? – But, are we the best fit for your child, their skill set and goals?
At Camp Lee Mar we see every child as an individual with unique needs, rather than a label or diagnoses.
Written by Lynsey Trohoske
My name is Lynsey Trohoske, I am the assistant director at Camp Lee Mar. I have three amazing children, my middle child happens to be on the autism spectrum and is a camper at Lee Mar. I joined camp as a counselor in 1998 and loved the campers and their families so much that Camp Lee Mar became my second home!
