As the parent of a child with Asperger’s, we know that you want to find the right camp that will help your child develop social skills, confidence, and independence. With so many choices available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right camp for your child. Here are some things to consider when choosing an Asperger’s Teen Camp for 2023.

Akeela offers a unique experience for kids and teens with Asperger’s, and similar neurodiverse profiles, with a focus on social skills development

Camp Akeela is truly something special, offering a unique summer experience for campers with Asperger’s. With a focus on social skills development, Camp Akeela provides an environment that promotes independence, self-confidence, and growth. Through activities specifically tailored to neurodivergent children, as well as scaffolded support from specialists in fields like Social Work, Psychology or Special Education, Camp Akeela allows these remarkable children to take part in experiences unlike any other summer camp – growing and learning together as part of an accepting community.

Camp Akeela also offers a variety of activities, from traditional camp activities like swimming and hiking to more specialized programs like drama, music, cooking, and art. With a wide range of activities for all interests and ability levels, your child will be able to make the most out of their summer at Camp Akeela.

Camp Akeela provides a supportive and inclusive environment for all children

Camp Akeela is an Asperger’s sleepaway camp that creates a unique and supportive environment for children with neurodiversity. Through empowering activities and interactive social skills workshops, campers begin to build community as they create meaningful friendships through trust, mutual respect, and love. Every activity is designed to foster a sense of unity as everyone strives to reach confidence and independence in an inclusive atmosphere. Camp Akeela not only encourages campers to make friends and be productive within their own social circles – they also provide lasting impressions as these children leave the camp each summer brimming with a newfound sense of self-belief and appreciation for those around them.

Akeela helps children to develop confidence and independence through various activities

At Camp Akeela, Asperger’s children can experience the benefits of developing confidence and gaining independence through engaging in age-appropriate activities that are combined with being part of a team. These activities include sports, crafts, and nature-based projects as well as educational discussions intended to help children improve their social skills as well as learn problem-solving strategies. The dedicated staff and volunteers at this camp strive to create a safe and supportive environment where children have the opportunity to develop positive self-esteem as they embrace the challenges of achieving their goals in this encouraging summer camp setting.

The camp staff are experienced and qualified to work with neurodiverse children

At Camp Akeela, camp counselors are experienced and qualified to provide the highest quality of care for children with neurodiversity. They understand the unique needs of campers and recognize that fostering independence is a key factor in campers’ social and cognitive development. Through activities like sports or recreational events, campers learn to work together as a team while developing problem-solving skills and self-empowerment. Camp staff carefully observe campers’ progress and adjust the activities accordingly so campers can gain a sense of accomplishment, improve their confidence and build meaningful relationships with their camp peers.

Apply for Summer 2023

Camp Akeela is the perfect place for you to apply your child for camp 2023! This supportive, creative, and engaging summer sleepaway camp allows children with Asperger’s or NLD — or similar neurodivergent campers — to have an amazing time building social skills, independence, and developing confidence. Through various activities designed specifically for them, your child will be able to gain an unforgettable experience meeting new friends and creating positive memories that will last forever. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity!

I was made aware of a program at the Yale Child Study Center last year and since hearing about it from a clinical colleague, it has come up around a dozen times. The program is called SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) and was created by Dr. Eli Lebowitz. The premise is one that I believe is the key to helping anxious children work through their emotions so that they can overcome challenges that might be keeping them from participating fully in activities (including ones that might seem “easy” to others – like sleeping). SPACE works with parents of anxious children. The child never actually meets with the therapist! Parents are taught how to set limits and boundaries around their own behaviors.

Common Methods of Dealing with Childhood Anxiety

As parents, we often OVER-support and over-correct for our child when they are struggling – it’s natural to want to fix something when our child is having a hard time. In actuality, rather than helping, we are often giving our children the message that they are helpless or that they have REASON to be anxious. We’re reinforcing their worries.

This is one of the key factors that contributes to why I believe our campers are so successful at Akeela. Parents often ask us, “What’s your secret?”, “How did you get my child to do xyz?”. There are a few answers but many times, it has to do with the fact that we are not our campers’ parents. That means that we have a different relationship with the children in our care and we are more likely to be able to set boundaries with them when necessary and helpful. In other words, we can be objective. At home, when a child is struggling, they know that a caregiver will likely be able to help them. They may ask for that help before they really do the hard work of trying over and over to accomplish their goal. At camp, a counselor is also always nearby but a child may actually make more of an effort to solve a problem or try something difficult before they ask for help. And when they ask for help, a counselor at camp is more likely to support them and cheer them on as they insist that the camper do the work before they step in themselves.

Providing Independence to Help Manage Childhood Anxiety

Camp provides a safe space for children to challenge and push themselves. Without parents to quickly step in and “fix” or “smooth out” challenges, campers learn that they have the necessary skills to do the hard things in life. Just the decision to send a child away to camp is an indicator that a parent WANTS a child to gain these skills. Although not always easy, letting go as a parent sends a message to a camper that they have faith that the child has the skills necessary to be independent.

As you think about sending your child away to camp for the first time, try to challenge yourself to wait before stepping in to aid your child. Tell them you believe in them – that you believe they have the skills necessary to complete the task or work through the anxiety at hand. Many children are motivated by camp (or another upcoming event, trip or social opportunity) and parents can use that as a way to help children step out of their own anxiety. You can say something like, “I know this feels hard right now but I/we know you can work through it on your own. Going to camp means that you will be able to accomplish so much without our help and this a great opportunity for you to practice right now.”

As parents, we have to do our own hard work in order to help our children succeed to the best of their ability. We have to let go of our very natural instinct to want to protect, save and care for our children when they are having a hard time. Because, in the end, letting go and stepping away is the most helpful thing we can do.

For more information about SPACE, you can check out these links:

Ted Talk from Eli Lebowitz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExVvAn9hcjY

SPACE program website: https://www.spacetreatment.net/

Popular and news media tend to focus on the challenges that neurodiverse individuals face, but here at Camp Akeela we help campers with Aspergers Syndrome and Autism overcome social difficulties and embrace who they are so they can go out into the world and pursue their dreams! That’s why we find it so affirming to our campers when we can tell them about wildly successful people who are also, as we like to say, quirky. Elon Musk has entered the chat!

Elon Musk, the billionaire and founder of Tesla Motors, SpaceX, SolarCity and PayPal – and most recently, Dogecoin cryptocurrency advocate – announced last month, while hosting Saturday Night Live, that he had been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, which we hope will inspire neurodiverse teens to pursue their dreams. While not everyone desires to be an entrepreneur or billionaire businessman, our obvious takeaway is this – don’t let NVLDs hold you back!

As Dr. Matthew Siegel, VP of medical affairs at Maine Behavioral Healthcare in Portland said, when interviewed by WebMD, after the announcement:

“I think the thing that is exciting is that if Elon Musk is reporting he has autism — whether using an outdated term or not — is for the public to see a person lift the stigma about diagnoses like autism, by whatever name it is called. And people can see that individuals with autism, some, can be quite successful and part of our society.”

Last year we discussed Chris Rock’s similar announcement that he had been diagnosed with a non-verbal learning disorder. In addition to building confidence in our campers, we hope the growing list of successful neurodiverse people also helps remove the stigma created by how these diagnoses are often treated in popular media and the general lack of awareness and understanding. As Musk aid on SNL:

“Look, I know I sometimes say or post strange things, but that’s just how my brain works,” he said. “To anyone I’ve offended, I just want to say, I reinvented electric cars and I’m sending people to Mars in a rocket ship. Did you think I was also going to be a chill, normal dude?”

Ain’t that the truth! If you’ve followed Musk on social media, you know he’s certainly quirky, but when you look at what this man has achieved before the age of 50 – well, the results speak for themselves. And we love that Elon feels comfortable joking about what makes him unique – how boring would be it be if none of us ever did that?

While Elon didn’t dwell on the topic, we hope that younger readers of this blog will use this announcement as a source of encouragement and that the parents in our audience will share this and other success stories with their children, as we all try to find our way in this world.

Photo Credit:The Royal Society, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons