Published: June 26, 2008 10:41 pm      

Scott County summer camp helps autistic children

jjacob@themeridianstar.com



For the past eight years, autistic children in Mississippi have been finding their summer fun at Camp Kaleidoscope, a summer camp program sponsored by Together Enhancing Autism Awareness in Mississippi (TEAAM), and held at Timber Creek Camp in Scott County.

At Camp Kaleidoscope, autistic children between the ages of seven and seventeen enjoy summer activities like swimming and horseback riding with both autistic and typical peers.

"The main thing is to have fun," camp director Dr. Mark Yeager said, "but there are some educational parts of it for the kids that are older."

Another primary goal of the camp, Yeager said, is for campers to make friends, which is why both autistic children and their typical peers attend. "Their role," Yeager said of the typical campers,"is to be there and do the same thing the other kids are doing, and just to make friends."

The camp, which is held each year at the end of June, is funded by TEAAM and a grant from the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. Thanks to this funding, parents have to pay only $35 for their children to attend one of the 4-day sessions.

One of the greatest benefits of the camp is the profusion of counselors, Yeager said. Psychology students from all over the world, teachers, therapists, and speech pathologists all volunteer their time for the camp, devoting themselves to making sure the campers stay happy and comfortable. They have full-time trained behavioral intervention specialists on site to make sure the kids don't get overwhelmed with anxiety or sensory problems.

"We have a lot of specialized staff," Yeager said, "who help keep (the campers) in the mix of camp without missing out of any of the fun.

The camp accommodates about 130 kids each year. With 150 to 180 applications every year, Yeager said he is trying to find a way to accommodate even more children in the future.

To donate to the camp or to volunteer for one of next year's sessions, contact TEAAM at 1-866-993-2437, or visit the TEAAM website at www.teaam.org, or the Camp Kaleidoscope website at www.campkaleidoscope.org.