This week, about 50 boys ages 12-to-21 will be at a camp at Mississippi State.
Like any other camp, a heavy emphasis will be put on having fun and being active.
And if that were all the camp achieved, it would be considered a success.
But for these campers, Camp Jigsaw means far, far more.
Now in its eighth year, Camp Jigsaw is a camp for young males with autism, which affects males at four times the rate as girls.
For all of the hard work and progress we have seen in the field of autism, it largely remains shrouded in mystery. Every advance, it seems, serves to remind us of how much we have yet to discover.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social and language communication, as well as repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. Those who fall along the spectrum of autism suffer symptoms from mild to severe. Some cannot speak at all and many have delayed or limited verbal communication. Some are greatly impaired in their cognitive thinking while others are extremely gifted.
What’s more, the incidence of autism appears to be increasing. In 2012, the last year for which data has been compiled, it is estimated that 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism. Ten years earlier, that rate was 1 in 150. Whether the increase is a function of better diagnosis or represents something akin to an epidemic is widely debated in the medical community.
Either way, the statistics tell us that we are still far from understanding the causes, prevention, treatment and, hopefully, the cure for this disease which affects so many people.
It may take years, even decades, for those answers to be known. Like a jigsaw puzzle, researchers are still trying to put the pieces together to form a clear picture of the disease.
But children with autism – and their parents – do not have the luxury of waiting for those advances. For them, it is a matter of coping with the disease right now – today, tomorrow and on into the future as that research continues.
That is why programs such as Camp Jigsaw are so important. They are today’s response to the an unanswered question.
For those campers, the camp is far more than having fun and staying busy. It provides a safe, non-judgmental environment where they can learn, develop and practice many of the skills – both cognitive and social – that come naturally to other kids.
While there are many, many autism camps throughout the country, Mississippi State says its camp — funded entirely by donations — is the only one that provides these important opportunities free of charge.
Camp Jigsaw is worthy of our support, financial and otherwise.
The young people who are at camp this week depend on it.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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