Nestled in a corner of Chester County very close to Delaware County are the rolling green hills, dense forest, and pristine buildings of the Westtown School in West Chester, PA. This summer for five weeks the private Quaker school is transformed into a unique camp for special children. While researchers and clinicians battle over such things as what causes their condition, autistic children and other special needs youngsters are looking for help everyday.
Dragonfly Forest' Summer Camp has been hosting children with Autism all week. In its second week of summer camp, running from Monday, June 28 to Friday, July 2, Dragonfly "will cater specifically to children with 22q11.2 deletion - a syndrome caused by a missing section of chromosome 22 which is present from the time a child is conceived, and is generally found in every body cell." Whichever the special challenge of the campers, "Dragonfly Forest will empower the 50+ children (from Philadelphia and each of its surrounding suburbs) to do things they never dreamed they could do, in an environment that allows them to enjoy the activities of a "traditional" camp."
In 2002, Dragonfly Forest Camp was founded by a Multiple Sclerosis survivor, Laura Jansen, who now serves as the camp's chairman. This is the Philadelphia region's only summer camp catering to children with Autism, 22Q, Sickle Cell Disorder, Bleeding Disorders, and Respiratory Problems.
22q11.2 deletion syndrome is a disease that results from the absence of a portion of the 22nd chromosome. This is a relatively common event as it is present in 1 out of every 4,000 live births, in 1 in 68 children with congenital heart disease, and in 5 to 8 percent of children born with cleft palate. The deletion has the potential to affect almost every system in the body and can cause a wide range of health problems.
Dragonfly Forest Camp encourages children, who spend much of their lives with adults, to be "just kids", complete with early morning swims, boating in the afternoon, and evening campfires, amongst other things. After a week full of normal camp day activities, the children learn resiliency skills through forming bonds with their peer. These activities serve in helping them face their daily challenges and becoming better at communicating their feelings and needs.
This year's camp schedules is:
Monday, June 21 - Friday, June 25 & Monday, July 5 - Friday July 8: Session 1 & Session 3 - Children with Autism
Monday, June 28 - Friday, July 2: Session 2 - Children with 22Q
Saturday, July 10 - Thursday, July 15: Session 4 - Children with Hematology (Sickle Cell, Bleeding Disorders)
Saturday, July 17 - Thursday, July 22: Session 5 - Children with Respiratory/Persistent Asthma
The camp is free for all participants. If you would like more information visit www.dragonflyforest.com.
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