Dear Counselor,

Our son G is very excited about attending your Camp. However, we think that it is important that you understand a little about G’s Special Needs and some strategies for helping him participate happily at camp.

G has a condition called Asperger’s Syndrome; this is the same as high functioning autism. Although he is intelligent, sweet, fun loving, creative and generally eager to please, his condition can cause him to be difficult to work with at times.

Asperger’s Syndrome is associated with

· Difficulty with transitions

· Some rigidity in thought and behavior

· A tendency to become overstimulated by sensory input

· Reluctance to try new things (and dislike of surprises…good or unpleasant)

· Some difficulty integrating into a group of children

· Some motor clumsiness

· Some impulse control problems and a tendency to wander off if something interests him.

At times G may seem uncooperative, this is not a sign of defiance or disrespect. It may be a time that he is overstimulated, or just very interested in what he is doing. We have found that if leaders can resist the urge to attach a defiant motive to his behavior, problem solving is a lot easier.

Some strategies, you may find helpful include:

· Let G know what will be happening that day

· Remind him of the rules frequently (he love rules but if overstimulated or excited, he may forget them)

· Give 5 or 10 minutes warnings of transitions

· Check with him to see if he heard and understood your directions (ask him “what did I say” and “what are you going to do” ) if you just ask him if he heard you, it is no guarantee that he did

· If you are having trouble getting his attention, touch him when you talk to him

· Have a leader bring up the rear

· If he is upset and can’t describe what is going on, ask him to draw a picture

· Pair him with kids who can help integrate him into the activity

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call. My work # is

(323) 555-5555 and pager is (310) 555-5555. My husband’s work # is (310) 555-5555. We prefer to solve problems when they are small and not wait till they have gotten out of hand. We want this to be a good experience for G, the other kids and all the adults involved.

With this said, We don’t expect any major problems, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Thank you,