Camps and Children on the Autism Spectrum
According ABOARD, the Advisory Board on Autism and Related Disorders, however, your child has the right to attend ANY camp under the Americans with Disabilities law. According to a long and informative article on their website, "The same requirements that apply to child-care centers apply to recreation programs and camps since they are also considered "public accommodations." What's more, they say, "The ADA applies to children who are on medication, are not toilet trained, have life-threatening allergies, diabetes or other disabilities. These factors cannot be reasons for excluding anyone."
If you're anything like me, this information may be a bit of a shocker. Our son was booted from at least one daycare because they simply didn't feel they could meet his needs. To be honest, I'm not sure they could. And very few camps that are not intended specifically for kids with disabilities will even consider accepting a child who is not toilet trained.
Would you invoke the Americans with Disabilities Act to push a camp or daycare into accepting your child on the autism spectrum? How far would you expect a camp to go? What are your thoughts?
Comments
I tried a different camp several years ago. Needless to say due to the lack of education the counselors had…my son was kicked out after several difficulties that most adults would have dealt with as a minor “boy related issues”. I took him back to a camp that had very educated counselors that were very curious and adaptable to my son’s disorders. Through that understanding he developed better social skills because he knew they were willing to work with him and not against him. I would not say forcing a camp to work with you is advisable unless that was the only choice available. Thier attitude will reflect onto the other children causing many difficulties for the child with challenges. I drive 28 miles out of my way each day to take him to a mainstreamed camp…it’s been worth it.
Instead of telling us about what our rights are, it would be more beneficial to provide a list of camps that accept autistic and/or aspereger’s children.
I did write an article on finding summer camps; you can find it at http://autism.about.com/od/schoolandsummer/ht/summerhowto.htm!