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Article Excerpt
Connections Camp
"Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same. You wanna be where everybody knows your name."
As the children sing the final notes from the Cheers television show theme, they smile, and their parents dry their eyes. This is a very special performance from a group of very special children. The presentation of songs and skits is part of a family celebration that annually marks the conclusion of Connections Camp, an innovative therapeutic social skill development program designed to meet the unique needs of youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). For six weeks each summer, youth ages 5-18 have fun while developing skills that lead to improved communication, better coping strategies, and lasting friendships.
Families and professionals face many obstacles when teaching social skills. The complexity of social behavior makes it difficult to know where to start, what to teach, and how to teach it. How does social skill training fit into an educational system already overwhelmed with teaching academics? How can families find time while taking siblings to basketball practice, cooking dinner, and earning a living?
Eight years ago, a small group of parents in Erie, PA sought a solution to these challenges. They approached Dr. Maureen Barber-Carey, Executive Vice President at the Dr. Gertrude A. Barber National Institute, requesting a summer recreation group where their children could be together, have fun, and develop friendships. The children in the group were diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and high functioning autism (HFA). Most were in mainstreamed education placements and progressing well academically but didn't have friends. Their parents worried that another summer would pass with the kids alone at home playing video games or reading books about their special interests. They wanted more. Since...
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