Tips for Choosing a Summer Camp for a Child with ADD

According to Laurie Edelman, Executive Director of the American Camping Association, parents should use these guidelines when looking at summer camps for their child with ADD:

1. Be completely open and honest about your child's personality, behavior, and needs with the camp director.

2. Ask the camp director if he or she has had any experience with campers who have ADD.

3. Find out who the counselors are. Arc they trained professionals? teachers? students? What is the average age? How are the counselors selected and trained?

4. Make sure the counselor-to-camper ratio is sufficient enough that your child will have some individual attention. Ask how many campers there will be at the camp.

5. Talk to the camp director about the camp's philosophy and the type of program he or she operates. Is it competitive? Are cooperation and sportsmanship stressed? Are self esteem and confidence building promoted by the counselors and staff?

6. Ask if your child wilt have to make independent choices in activities or if there is a prescribed program he or she will follow. Ask how much assistance your child will receive in choosing elective activities

7. Ask the camp director if the camp is accustomed to having children who are taking medication. Are they willing arid able to meet your child's medical needs?

8. Find out the camp's meal plan and timing. Does the camp have three meals plus one snack a day? At what time are meals served?

9. Get a copy of what a typical week's schedule might be. Discuss with your child's doctor what special needs can arise because of this schedule, i.e., changing the dosage or timing of his or her medication. Write a letter to the camp's staff nurse and explain your child's special needs.

10. Look for an ACA accredited camp. This will indicate that the camp director has made a commitment to the health and safety of its campers. *

Ed Note: This article appeared in the April/May 1997 issue of the CH.A.D.D.er BOX. Contact CH.A.D.D., 499 NW 70th Avenue, Suite 101, Plantation, Florida 33317 (954-587-3700) or through www.chadd.org/

More Thoughts:

Ed Note: Lori Jeanne Peloquin, PhD is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist here in Rochester. Here are her thoughts:

In assessing programs, questions to ask:

• 1) How much structure does the program provide?
• 2) Do they understand the difference between routine and rigidity? How organized do they seem?
• 3) Does the program allow free time?
• 4) How much physical activity does the program allow/require?
• 5) How much listening to procedures, instructions, guidelines, is expected?
• 6) What is the adult: child ratio?
• 7) What methods are used for discipline? (Time outs? Rewards? Privileges?)
• 8) What is the training of those in direct work with the kids? What is the training of the Supervisory staff?
• 9) Have they worked successfully in the past with children who have attentional difficulties?
• 10)How much responsibility can my child handle?
• 11) Are they learning to be independent?

• 1) Be objective about your child
• 2) how severe are his/her behavioral difficulties?
• 3) What is their level of inattention/ hyperactivity?
• 4) Do they have motor problems? Language problems?
• 5) How much trouble do they have with peers?
• 6) What is their past experience with school and after school activity?