Mum Posts Open Invitation To An 'Ultimate Water Balloon Fight' On Facebook For Her Son With Apraxia

Boy With A Speech Disorder Struggles To Make Friends, Mum Finds A Way To Throw Him The Best Birthday Party

A mother posted an open invitation for her son's 10th birthday party on Facebook because his speech condition has made it hard for him to make friends.

Camden, who will be turning 10 on 6 July, has Apraxia of speech, which makes it difficult for him to talk.

He wants to have an "ultimate balloon fight party with 2,000 balloons and lots of kids", Camden's mother said, but she was worried not enough children would turn up.

So she created an open Facebook event page inviting people to join her son for the party. The page quickly went viral and accrued nearly 2,000 likes in one day.

Camden's mother wrote on the page: "I know all kids should learn disappointment in life - but sometimes other kids are so cruel.

"Camden has Apraxia of speech and because of the issues with articulation and some impulsiveness he has a really hard time making friends."

Apraxia of speech in children (CAS) is a motor speech disorder - children with CAS have problems saying sounds, syllables and words because the brain has problems planning to move the body parts needed for speech.

The Virgina-based mother continued: "He [Camden] mainly plays with his older sister and her best friend and one other boy in the neighbourhood.

"This friend is 11 and has recently decided he's too cool to hang out with a 'little kid that can't talk right'. So poor Cam is left with no one else to play with.

"To fulfil his 10th birthday wish of having a huge water balloon fight, I am extending an open invitation to anyone with kids that wants to come throw some water balloons with one awesome little boy."

Camden and his mother

Since the open invitation has gone live, many US-based parents touched by Camden's story have sent birthday wishes and apologised for not being able to make it to the party because of distance.

Many people have also requested an address to send gifts, cards and birthday wishes too, and Camden's mother has replied with ideas for presents.

She wrote: "I've had numerous emails asking what Camden likes: He loves Legos, all the Marvel super heroes, Teen Titans Go, Star Wars Rebels, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Despicable Me Minions (He can't wait for the new movie to come out), board games, RC cars/helicopters, basketball, ninja's & his latest fascination is The Simpsons..."

Another parent identified with Camden's speech condition, and wrote: "I would love to bring my nine-year-old daughter, Emily... she too has Apraxia of Speech and Mixed Receptive Language Disorder as well as ADHD and ADD!"

We wouldn't be surprised if 10-year-old Camden is swamped with presents come 6 July.

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