908-575-7350

NJCTS Kicks Off 10th Year of Webinars with a TS Guide for School Nurses

For the last 10 years, NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS) has provided free webinars to parents, medical professionals and educators about living with Tourette Syndrome (TS) or educating those affected by the disorder. On January 24, 2018, NJCTS will celebrate the 10th Anniversary milestone with a special webinar geared towards school nurses titled What a Difference a School Nurse Can Make: A Tourette Syndrome Guide for School Nurses.

“School Nurses play an essential and invaluable role in the lives of children with Tourette Syndrome and their families,” said Faith Rice, executive director of NJCTS. “Serving as onsite medical practitioners and mediators between school personnel and families, school nurses are in a unique position to make a lasting positive impact on their students.”

Tourette Syndrome is an inherited, neurological disorder characterized by repeated involuntary movements and uncontrollable vocal sounds called tics.  Tourette is much more common than most people think—generally appearing in children at age 6 or 7 in all ethnic groups and affecting both males and females.  It is estimated that as many as 1 in 100 people show a partial expression of this disorder.

The free webinar for school nurses will take place at 7:30 ET and feature Dr. Graham Hartke, a licensed psychologist in private practice and a certified school psychologist. Dr. Hartke will provide an overview of Tourette Syndrome and associated disorders along with specific tips and strategies for school nurses, families, and educators to best help students living with Tourette Syndrome and other associated disorders including Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

NJCTS’ Wednesday Webinar series was launched in 2008 and today draws an audience from across the United States and more than 15 countries. The series has featured online seminars for parents, educators and professionals on topics of interest to the TS and associated disorders community, such as anxiety, OCD, sensory issues, bullying, school accommodations, and much more. The 100th webinar, which takes place on February 21, goes back to basics with the topic Understanding Tourette Syndrome.

To learn more about the webinar series, to view upcoming webinars, or browse an archive of past webinars, visit njcts.org/webinars. A professional development certificate or a certificate of attendance for attending any of these live webinars is available for a nominal fee.