Summer Fun for Special Needs Families

Some tips and ideas to help parents of children with special needs keep their kids active this summer!

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The importance of improving fitness skills cannot be underestimated. Many special needs children with low levels of interest in physical activity are often found to have decreased self-confidence. The American Heart Association has shown that physically active children show improvements in a wide variety of measures of psychological well-being—including self-esteem.

A vicious cycle can easily be established as both physical activity and self-confidence decline. A special needs child may feel inadequate when he thinks that he is unable to keep up with his peers and may avoid play situations. The child may find ways to compensate for lower skill level by staying indoors when possible, creating fictitious injuries, offering to be the game’s referee, or walking around the perimeter of the activity.

How can parents encourage their children to be physically fit? Simply put, make physical activities and games fun! The key to successful participation is creativity and positive reinforcement as well as scheduling a regular time during the week as family playtime.

Summer Camp Brings Fun to Children with Autism

LUBBOCK, Texas- As Lane Barnett grew up, no camps existed for children like her.

Now, Barnett, 31, helps give other kids a chance by volunteering at the Burkhart Camp for children with autism.

"I see it through their eyes," said Barnett who was diagnosed with autism at age 18. "I know how hard it is."

She works with nine other students from the Burkhart Transition Academy, a post-secondary school for young adults focused on helping them find jobs.

Since 2005, the Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research has provided services to people with autism and their families, while educating future teachers.

But this is the first summer they've held a camp.

"This population of kids, they didn't have a camp to go to," said Janice Magness, director of the Burkhart Transition Academy and the camp.

Apple's iPad App Creates Communication Device for Children with Special Needs

Interesting segment from New York 1 News. So wonderful that mainstream companies are developing apps to help children with special needs.

For children and parents, Apple's line of iOS devices can be a great resource for learning. Take, for example, "Scene & Heard," which turns the iPad into what's called an "augmentative and alternative communication device," or AAC for short.
Essentially, it allows kids with autism to both learn and communicate with others by pushing or arranging pictures, helping them clearly communicate what they're trying to say. What makes this app different from some of the others out there is that it allows users, parents or anyone helping that child to easily upload their own pictures, videos and sounds to create their own so-called "scenes." Developers say that in doing so, the app can be customized to feel more comfortable for each user.