On his first day at Camp Communicate in Denton, Texas, Ryan Williams went on a hayride and visited a buffalo.

The experience left the 13-year-old exhausted, but thrilled.

“I had a blast,” he types on his DynaVox communication device. “I got to be right with everybody.”

For Ryan – who is nonverbal, has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair – the chance to just hang out and have fun with other kids was no small thing.

“It’s really hard for him to have spontaneous communication with people he doesn’t know,” says Ryan’s mother, Wanda Williams. “For him to be drawn out like this is huge.”

At Camp Communicate, youngsters ages 5 to 13 go fishing, string beaded necklaces, play Candyland and participate in other activities that children typically enjoy during the summer. But there’s one difference: The campers all have communication impairments. Some have autism spectrum disorder, others Down syndrome or delayed language development.

“Here they can have a camping experience like any other kid,” says Kathy Thomas, director of the Speech and Hearing Clinic at the University of North Texas in Denton. “Only it is in an environment where we know it is going to be positive for them.”

These children might know the words but have trouble using them. Unable to start or sustain a conversation, they often end up isolated, sitting off to themselves on the playground or at school.

“Children use language to connect with their peers,” Thomas says. “Our children have a very difficult time with that.”

Camp Communicate opened Monday at the Merrit Bois D-Arc Buffalo Ranch, north of Denton. Though the UNT audiology clinic has run camps for hearing-impaired children before, it’s the first time the camp has been opened to children with such diverse communication problems. Peer models – children who do not have impairments – also attend. Graduate speech-language and audiology students operate the weeklong program. Each child is matched with a grad student, who tries to turn every moment into a learning experience.

“It looks like we’re just having fun, but the grad students are doing things to get the child to communicate,” she says.

Fishing becomes an opportunity to expand their vocabulary and practice speaking sentences. But even more important, the children learn how to socialize with one another.

Knowing they are in an environment where they won’t feel judged helps the campers feel safe, supported and included, Thomas says.

Children with autism spectrum disorders can easily become overwhelmed, especially with so much going on around them. At the fishing hole, Amir Rahimi, 8, refused to participate when he was offered the pink Barbie rod.

“I’m not a girl,” he whined until another rod was offered him. The problem solved, he settled down to try fishing.

Christian Molinar, 9, a peer model, helped make sure that Amir got all the credit for catching a fish.

“He wanted to catch it, so I just let him,” he said.

The camp has given Amir, who was once nonverbal, a chance to use proper language at the proper time and work on his listening skills, says his mother, Cynthia Rahimi.

“He used to just holler at you,” she says. “Now he uses words – it’s not perfect, but you know what he wants.”

For the children, the camp is a welcome break from the therapy sessions they’ve attended most of their lives. It also benefits the graduate students, who can see how the children interact outside of therapy.

“This is more fun because they are acting more naturally,” grad student Clary Rondan says. “They’re learning, but we’re learning a lot, too.”

For Miles Cole, an 8-year-old with an autism spectrum disorder, a game of Red Rover was a lesson in socializing and having fun.

Hesitant to join the line of children, he stood on the sidelines until he heard his name, then darted toward two girls holding hands. He didn’t say a word, but his wide smile was proof enough that he was making progress socializing.

For 11-year-old Lauren Fairchild, who has Down syndrome, the UNT clinic and camp have made all the difference in her life, says her mother, Leisha Fairchild.

“She’s building friendships and longer sentences,” Fairchild says.

Source: Jan Jarvis/Star-Telegram