Blog - Friendship Circle of Kendall

The Benefits of Volunteering for Teens

Tuesday, June 1, 2021 - 3:03 PM

Ari and Justin

Volunteering and performing community service provides essential help to underserved and struggling communities, but it can also provide benefits to the volunteers as well. Getting started with volunteering early on is a great way to help others, develop skills, and meet new people. Here are some of the benefits of volunteering for teens.

Doing good: First and foremost, you are helping others and that should make you feel good. You are making a difference in people’s lives and impacting the world in a positive way. You are also doing good for your own mental and physical health by being active, feeling happy about helping others, and feeling accomplished.

Exploring options for your future: Volunteer… Read More »

Grants for Special Needs Camps

Saturday, May 1, 2021 - 3:01 PM

Movement Mondays with Stacy

There are many great camps for children with special needs that offer opportunities to try new things, meet new people, and, most importantly, have fun. However, special needs camps can be very expensive and many families don’t have the extra funds in their budget to cover the cost. Grants for camps with special needs are a resource that can help alleviate some of that financial burden. That’s why we’ve assembled a list of different grants and scholarships that can help you send your child to special needs camp!

First, research special needs camps in your area to find one that you and your child like. Both Kids Camps and Very Special Camps are great resources to help you find the right camp. Once… Read More »

Activities for Kids with Autism

Monday, April 19, 2021 - 1:00 PM

Dani and Justin

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have a difficult time developing communication and social skills as well as processing sensory information. Learning these skills is often much more challenging for children with ASD than other children their age, so the same teaching methods and activities don’t always work. That’s why it’s important to establish activities specifically for your child with ASD and help them learn, grow, and have fun in a comfortable way.

Sensory Activities: Sensory activities help children with ASD process different senses and become more adjusted to experiencing them. Many of the activities also help build fine motor skills.

Sensory bottles - Fill a… Read More »

What Causes Down Syndrome?

Friday, April 9, 2021 - 3:10 PM

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs due to abnormal cell division during pregnancy. Human cells normally contain 23 pairs of chromosomes. Each pair is made up of one chromosome from the mother, and one from the father, but the abnormal cell division results in an extra copy of chromosome 21 in the baby’s cells. The extra copy of chromosome 21 can also be either full or partial, but the extra genetic material alters development and results in the characteristics associated with Down syndrome.

Down syndrome can be caused by three different genetic variations:

1. Trisomy 21 - This genetic variation is the cause of Down syndrome in almost 95% of cases. The individual has three copies of chromosome 21 in… Read More »

What Causes Autism?

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 - 3:07 PM

Autism, more accurately known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a developmental disability that does not have one specific cause, but rather is believed to be caused by a number of potential factors. The term “spectrum” in ASD helps explain the wide-ranging symptoms that are experienced with the disability and often present behavioral, communication, and social challenges that begin early in childhood.

While there are no exact causes known for ASD, there are certain risk factors that fall under two main categories: genetics and environmental.

Genetics: Research has shown that several different genes might be involved in ASD and that genetic disorders like Rett syndrome and fragile X syndrome… Read More »