Promoting positive mental health: Calming neurodiverse children’s camp jitters

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dc.contributor.authorFletcher, Tina
dc.contributor.authorChen, Alicia
dc.contributor.authorPizarro, Edgar
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-20T15:57:36Z
dc.date.available2024-02-20T15:57:36Z
dc.date.issued2023-11-01
dc.description.abstractSummer camp is a special event in many people’s lives. Children make friends and learn new things while moms and dads enjoy a break from the vigilance required by parenting. Whether for a day or overnight stay, most people have happy memories of their experiences. Families with neurodiverse children might also see camp as a way for their child to dive deeply into preferred interests such as dinosaurs, outer space, or animals while in the company of others (See Figure 1). Some families, and even neurodiverse children themselves, might also take a deep breath and decide not to detail the camper’s differences, hoping they will be accepted for who they are, despite any observable behaviors that seem out of the ordinary (Johnson & Joshi, 2016; Larson, 2010; O’Nions, Happé, Evers, Boonen, & Noens, 2017). Unfortunately, mental health challenges such as situational anxiety and fear can escalate as sessions wear on and may either make or break the camping experience. Positive mental health is not merely the absence of mental health challenges but something we all stive toward to develop relationships, adapt to change, and cope with adversity (Galderisi et al., 2015). Counselors and campers can benefit from occupational therapy supports to increase the joy camp can bring.
dc.identifier.citationThis is the post-print version of an article that is available at https://www.aota.org/publications/sis-quarterly/mental-health-sis/mhsis-11-23. Recommended citation: Fletcher, T., Chen, A., & Pizarro, E. (2023, December). Promoting positive mental health: Calming neurodiverse children’s camp jitters. AOTA SIS Quarterly. Retrieved December 13, 2023, from. This item has been deposited in accordance with publisher copyright and licensing terms and with the author’s permission.
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.aota.org/publications/sis-quarterly/mental-health-sis/mhsis-11-23
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11274/15771
dc.subjectProgramming and environmental supports
dc.subjectChildren’s differing skills
dc.subjectSkill development
dc.titlePromoting positive mental health: Calming neurodiverse children’s camp jitters
dc.typeArticle

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