Hi folks,

Background: DS, age 10, has been doing OT, VT and social skills groups for several years relating to issues that were flagged in his kindergarten classroom. Despite improvement, he still has consistent challenges with writing output, social skills, gross motor skills and anxiety. When he was last evaluated, the assessors said he was too young to officially diagnose specific learning disabilities. The likely candidates that have been mentioned are dysgraphia, developmental coordination disorder, nonverbal leaning disorder. We are scheduled for a neuropsych evaluation to get clarification now.

My questions: Has anyone sent their children to some of the special sleepaway camps for kids with learning disorders? Did your child internalize social skills and executive processing skills that they were able to roll over into their regular lives at home and school? How many years did they attend the camp? At what ages?

We know we are headed into the difficult social terrain of adolescence soon and are trying to get him ready. My perception is that his social skills group at school provides a pressure release, but doesn't necessarily build his self-sufficiency skills. These camps are such a financial investment that we'll need to plan long in advance to make it happen. So we are wondering if they are worth the investment.

Many thanks for any insights you can share.