July 8, 2024, KPBS: Why a San Diego surf camp for people with autism doubled in size
On a Monday morning, long lines of surfboards stretched down La Jolla Shores. On them, children practiced — paddle, paddle, paddle! — scooping at the sand, pressing themselves into "seal position," and popping into a crouch.
Outside one blue tent, the boards were taken by a dozen children and young adults somewhere on the wide spectrum of autism, each with their own coach. It was day one of a four-day surf camp. . . .
Parents started this surf camp 22 years ago.
It’s run by the Autism Society of San Diego and supported by state and county funds.
They accept anyone over age 5 and say they don’t turn anyone away if they can’t pay the $450 fee.
For a long time, they offered 90 spots over five weeks.
But the society’s director, Andrea Korogi, said demand was much greater.
“We were turning away hundreds of people every summer,” she said.
This year, they partnered with Surf Education Academy to double the camp to 10 weeks and 180 spots, and they still have only a few spots left, Korogi said. She dreams of expanding the camp to school breaks and weekends. . . .
The demand reflects San Diego’s unique population.
Nationally, 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with autism. Korogi said in San Diego, it’s 1 in 22.
“Almost every single classroom has at least one individual with autism,” she said.
San Diego offers better services for people with autism than many places in the country, Korogi said. Military families request to be stationed here to access those services, driving up the numbers. . . .
Other children with autism are prone to wandering and are often drawn to water, even if they can’t swim.
One study found they’re 160 times more likely to drown than neurotypical children.
Drowning accounts for a staggering 91% of deaths of children under 14 with autism, according to the National Autism Association. . . .
Coaching these children was a lot more visual and less auditory, she said. She demonstrated more to overcome the communication differences. She tried to figure out how her specific camper communicated and received information and adapted.
It seemed to work.
Before the morning was over, Devine and Oliver rode waves on the board together.
Oliver Roletter tests the waves with his coach Annie Devine at the Autism Society of San Diego's Surf Camp on Monday, June 24, 2024. . . .
Commentaires