School stops. The need does not. Three things worth knowing before July gets away from you.

Extended School Year is not summer school

ESY is a service written into the IEP for students who would lose skills over a long break. It is not a reward for good behaviour and it is not offered to everyone — but it is also not something the district has to volunteer. If regression after a break is a pattern for your child, that pattern is the argument, and it belongs in writing in the IEP.

Camps that can take a medically complex child

Ordinary camps say no for a reason: they have no nurse. Ask instead about camps run through disability organisations, adapted programs at county parks, and hospital-affiliated day programs. Ask three questions before you pay: who is trained on seizure rescue medication, what happens in the first ninety seconds of an emergency, and will you accept my child's one-to-one nurse.

Respite is not a luxury

If your child is on the iBudget waiver, respite hours may already be in the plan and unused. PPEC hours cover weekdays for many families. Several nonprofits run respite grants and weekend camps in Florida. Caregiver exhaustion is not a character failure — it is a predictable outcome of years of interrupted sleep, and it shortens the runway of the person your child depends on most.

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