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Office Address: 6933 North Kedzie, #816 Chicago, Illinois 60645
The Tourette Syndrome Camp USA, founded in 1994, is a residential camping program designed for girls and boys ages 8 - 16+ whose primary diagnosis is TS, and to a lesser degree, OCD and ADD/ADHD.
The goal of the camp is to allow children with TS an opportunity to meet other children, share similar experiences and coping mechanisms in a fun, safe and positive environment.
The TS camp is run concurrently with a traditional camp week. While there are separate cabins for the TS campers, all programming is done with the rest of the camp. However, we do hold rap sessions with the TS campers so they have an opportunity to share their experiences with each other.
There is a nurse to handle medication and medical issues for the TS campers.
This is not a therapeutic program and the camp has some limitations in accepting children whose needs are beyond the scope of its design. Campers must be able to handle routine daily living skills (i.e. dressing, self hygiene) and have the ability to function in a group setting. While the program is modified to meet the needs of most children whose primary diagnosis is TS, experience has demonstrated that not every child with TS is capable of participating in the camp program.
In addition to providing in-service training for the Camp Duncan staff, TSCO augments the Tourette camps with volunteer counselors who either have TS/OCD/ADD or have experience in dealing with the disorders.
Our staff is all volunteer, usually high school, college students or young adults who have a desire to work with children and are positive role models. We are always looking for candidates to be counselors. If you are interested, please contact us about the application process.
The Tourette Syndrome Camp USA is held at YMCA Camp Duncan which is located 30 miles north of Chicago. Camp is home to other special needs such as burn and diabetic Camp. The facility features an olympic size indoor swimming pool and a semi-private lake. Their caring staff assures a positive experience in a caring environment.
