Virtual and In-Person Day Camps for the Craniofacial Community.

Abstract

Children with congenital craniofacial conditions (CFCs) and their families may stand to benefit from day camps offering tailored psychosocial support and resources. Nonprofit ConnectMed International has held virtual and in-person day camps in San Diego for this community since 2018. We administered surveys before and after a series of day camps to understand the needs of this community and benefits perceived programming offered. Although studies have reported the psychosocial benefits of camps for children with rare diseases, few have examined the specific benefit for children with CFCs and their parents. Herein, we present the findings of our survey study as the first article to report a needs assessments and psychosocial benefits of day camps for children with CFCs and their parents.