Greater Missouri TSA

Feb. 9 Meet and Greet with Marc Elliot

Pete Abel — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:22:36 +0000

Please join us for a special appearance by Marc Elliot on Thursday, Feb. 9, from 7 to 9 p.m., in Room 201a/b at the Kirkwood (Mo.) Community Center (111 South Geyer Road).

Marc has overcome a number of challenges. He was born with a rare digestive disease that left him with virtually no intestines. Then, at age nine, he developed Tourette’s Syndrome. Now twenty-six, Marc inspires audiences across the country with his life story, illustrating the importance of tolerance and appreciating others for their unique gifts. He is also the author of a brand new book, What Makes you Tic? (Marc will gladly sign copies. Bring your own or purchase one at the event for $15.)

This event is a great opportunity for TS kids, families, and educators to meet Marc and learn from his experience.

Light refreshments will be served.

Please contact Lynn Dunlap with questions: lmchd52@gmail.com.

Conference Scholarships Available

Pete Abel — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:34:04 +0000

Funds have been established by TSA Board Members to assist those who wish to attend the TSA 40th Anniversary National Conference to be held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Va., in April.

Scholarship awards will be (a) based on need, (b) determined by the Conference Scholarship Committee, and (c) cover conference registration fees only; travel and hotel expenses will remain the responsibility of the award recipients.

Applications should be submitted as early as possible and no later than Friday, January 27, 2012, via one of the following methods:

Mail: TSA, 42-40 Bell Boulevard, Suite 205, Bayside, NY 11361
Email: sandra.holland@tsa-usa.org
Fax: 718-279-9596

Awards will be announced by Friday, February 10, 2012. All decisions of the Committee are final.

Application Links

For more information, please contact Michelle Gutmann at 718-224-2999, ext. 258, or Michelle.Gutmann@tsa-usa.org.

Iowa TS Conference

Pete Abel — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:43:13 +0000

The Iowa TSA Support Group is holding a regional conference on Saturday, March 31 in Cedar Rapids, with special guest Susan Conners.Ms. Conners has more than 30 years of experience in education and more than 25 years of experience working with children with TS, OCD, and associated disorders. She has presented workshops on TS in 48 states, four countries and two languages. Her past work includes publishing brochures, producing videos, and developing curricula on TS and education subjects. She and a anumber of her family members have TS.

At the March 31 conference, she will discuss topics ranging from classroom strategies and accommodations to behavioral issues and functional behavioral assessments for TS children.

This event is sponsored by the Brad Cohen Tourette Foundation. There is no registration fee; the confernce is free to parents, educators, and medical professionals interested in learning more about TS. A limited number of reduced-rate hotel rooms are availble on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, email: lisa@itsasupportgroup.org.

Tourette Syndrome Camp Organization

Pete Abel — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:05:24 +0000

The Tourette Syndrome Camp Organization will be hosting a children’s program during the Tourette Syndrome Association National Conference on Friday, April 20, and Saturday, April 21, 2012, in Alexandria, Virginia.

The same organization will host its 19th Annual Tourette Syndrome Camp USA from Sunday, June 24, until Saturday, June 30, 2012, at YMCA Camp Duncan in Ingleside, Illinois.

For more information, including registration forms, follow this link for the National Conference program, and this link for the summer camp.

2012 National Conference

Pete Abel — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:50:36 +0000

The 2012 National Conference of the Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) will be held April 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Va.

Conference sessions will cover a variety of topics, including an update on TS-related research plus sessions on impulse control, treatment, and much more.

In addition to TSA chapter and support-group leaders, this conference is appropriate for individuals with TS, as well as families, eduators, volunteers, and others who help them.

Early bird registration is now open until February 1. Please follow this link for more information about the conference or click here to register.

New TS Education DVDs

Pete Abel — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:30:15 +0000

TSA’s newest educational resource is now available, free of charge. Filmed at a full-day, live presentation, “Tourette Syndrome in The Classroom, School & Community” features the TSA Education Committee addressing a wide range of related topics.

As the title suggests, the program is designed to inform teachers, school nurses, psychologists, social workers, clinicians, bus drivers, administrators, and others about TS and ways to recognize and address TS inside and outside the classroom.

There are 16 chapters on the two-disc set. Viewers have the choice of selecting individual chapters or watching the entire program in one sitting.

Parents may want to suggest that their children’s teachers watch the first chapter on the first disc, “An Introduction to Tourette Syndrome,” as well as the sections on ADHD and OCD, or other topics they deem appropriate.

This resource is made available through the professional education outreach partnership between the national Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

To obtain a free copy, while supplies last, follow this link. Please allow up to six weeks for delivery and observe the limit of one set per household.

December Event

Pete Abel — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:34:01 +0000

If your teens are looking for an opportunity to meet and socialize with other TS teens, the Missouri TSA chapter is hosting a teen pizza night on Saturday, December 10, from 7 to 9 p.m., at J.J. Twigs Pizza, 2964 Dougherty Ferry Rd. (at Dougherty Ferry and Big Bend) in St. Louis County.

Food and soft drinks will be covered by our chapter. Parents can either drop off their teenage children, or stay and visit with each other.

If interested, please contact Lynn Dunlap at lmchd52@gmail.com by or before December 8. We hope to see you there.

TS Documentary Now Available Online

Pete Abel — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:10:30 +0000

“Different is the New Normal,” a film that demystifies Tourette Syndrome, is now available for online viewing.

This documentary chronicles the life of Ariel Small, a 16-year-old boy with Tourette Syndrome. It premiered last month on WNET in New York. We encourage you to contact your local PBS station and request that they air “Different is the New Normal,” so that it can reach a larger audience.

For additional information about this documentary, visit the TSA website.

October Meeting

Pete Abel — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:34:14 +0000

You’re invited to join us at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 25, at Mercy Hospital (615 S. New Ballas Road, St. Louis, MO 63141) in the dePazzi Bentley Room, Doctors Medical Building, accessbile through the vonGontard Conference Center doors between Towers A & B. The room is to the left.

Our speaker will be Dr. Matthew Worth, a nationally recognized chiropractic neurologist. He will address how the brain functions in children with Tourette, ADHD, Autism, and learning disorders. He will also speak to the services available at the new West County Midwest Institute for Neurological Development (MIND), which is the only brain-based treatment/educational center in the Midwest dedicated to the evaluation and management of neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Also, we will be trying something new at this meeting, offering a Lego Club gathering for kids. Activities will include cooperative play with Lego’s and interactive social-skills games. If your children would be interested in some fun and social time with other TS kids, please bring them along.

September Meeting

Pete Abel — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 22:40:38 +0000

Tourette Syndrome families are invited to join us Sunday, Sept. 25, from 2 to 5 p.m., for pizza and fun activities, as we gather again to start the new school year.

There will be opportunities for kids to get to know one another and parents to network. New teacher packets will also be available.

This event will be held at Destiny Church, 1809 Des Peres Road in St. Louis County, just off of I-270, between Clayton and Manchester Roads.

We hope to see you there.