Do specialty camps for special needs kids work? Are there camps in Pennsylvania?

Specialty camps in Pennsylvania for special needs kids really do work, especially camps that are run by clinicians who place an emphasis on specialized therapeutic intervention.  Meaning, the camps run by therapists and counselors work.  An example of a specialty camp is a program for girls with eating disorders, or boys with drug and alcohol abuse programs, or teens with and ADD or ADHD. Specialty camps are designed for teenagers who have special needs, and they are considered "early intervention" programs. Sometimes they are considered to be a "wake up call". Camps for troubled teens take place all over the country throughout the entire year.    We can help you locate the pefect camp near Pennsylvania.

The theory behind specialty camps in Pennsylvania is that kids do well when the intervention is early and short-term (like specialty camps - 7 to 45 days depending upon the issue).  Moreover, when a parent nips the problem behavior in the bud AND follows up with a long-term aftercare program things generally get fixed and everyone wins.  But if a parent waits too long, and the teen becomes angry, defiant, and oppositional then the potential success through the specialty camp is not too good.  Our recommendation to parents is to utilize short-term specialty camps and nip the problem before the damage is too great.

Specialty camps near Pennsylvania for teens who need a wake up call

Camps are specialty programs that are often utilized by parents who are looking for some type of a quick fix rehab for their troubled teen. Specialty camps usually range from 7 to 30 days in duration. Camps for teens are usually considered to be an early intervention "wake up call" for strong-willed rebellious teens.  

Some therapists and youth counselors do not feel that specialty camps provide the necessary treatment to make a permanent change life of a struggling child. These therapists and counselors are right.  However, the camp that provides individual and group counseling, drug and alcohol treatment, and family therapy do work.  Success all depends upon the therapeutic portion of the program.

Usually parents find that after returning from a specialty camps the child shows signs of improvement for weeks, or even months.  But unless the child and family is engaged in a worthy therapeutic aftercare program the positive changes from the camp tend to be short-lived.  Our recommendation to parents who use short-term speciality camps is to engage into "tandum care", which is the combination of the camp with a good aftercare program.

Movie Quotes:   "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the armies of the North, General of the Felix legions, loyal servant to the true Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."  Gladiator

Truth Quotes:  “The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges.” — Martin Luther King Jr.