Karate class,

a trip to the blueberry patch, arts and crafts it sounds like the typical

child's busy summer.

But for kids

with developmental delays in speech and coordination, such fun is a special

treat. And fun was the order of business for kids in the first-ever day

camp offered by the Fayette County satellite office of Children's Healthcare

of Atlanta.

"We really

wanted to get the kids out in the community," said Patty Disselkoen,

an educator in the local Children's Healthcare office. One of the main

goals of the day camp was to encourage social interaction with the children,

she added.

"For some

of the kids, a group setting is just too overwhelming," Disselkoen

said.

The 10 campers

taking part in the activities suffer from delays in speech, language,

coordination or fine motor skills, Disselkoen explained. The day camp

featured one trained therapeutic staffer for every two kids, she added.

The idea for

the program came from parents of the children, Disselkoen said. The five-day

program ended Friday with a field day at the new All Children's Playground

in Peachtree City.

A number of

local restaurants and businesses chipped in with help to provide food

and activities for the campers, Disselkoen said.

"Every

phone call we made was a yes," Disselkoen said. "The Fayette

County Community needs to be thanked. Thanks to everybody's help, the

project went great."

Children's

Healthcare of Atlanta provides speech, physical and occupational therapy

for children from birth to 21 years old at Fayette Community Hospital.

In addition to one-on-one therapy, group sessions are also offered, Disselkoen

said.

The Fayette

office covers a 13-county area.

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