PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Tourette Syndrome Program at Rutgers University, in collaboration with the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome & Associated Disorders (NJCTS), is now recruiting for a 10-week program uniquely designed to help children and adolescents learn about Tourette Syndrome and tics, build confidence, and navigate the various social issues that often come along with having TS and associated neurological disorders.
The groups, for children and adolescents ages 6 to 16 with TS or chronic tics, will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays beginning January 9 and running through March 13 at 152 Frelinghuysen Road on Rutgers’ Busch Campus in Piscataway. The cost is $200 per child for all 10 groups.
Older or younger children will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but a pre-group screening is required to ensure that the program is an appropriate fit for each child’s developmental level. The specific components included in the group are based on recent research completed at Rutgers and include:
- Education about tics and TS
- Identifying and managing difficult thoughts and feelings
- Solving interpersonal problems related to tics Improving communication skills
- Talking to others about tics and responding to teasing
The groups provide a supportive environment for children and adolescents to meet peers with TS, discuss their experiences living with the syndrome and give and receive advice. Past group members have enjoyed speaking freely about their tics while learning strategies for living with TS in a fun and interactive manner. “Children and adults alike enjoy the groups for many reasons. I think the greatest benefit is gained from the ability to interact over many weeks with other families who have TS,” says Dr. Shawn Ewbank, Psy.D, clinical director of the Tourette Syndrome Program at Rutgers. “Families who feel less alone with their struggles feel better equipped to navigate the challenges that can come with TS. In past years, I have been impressed by the sense of community that has formed within each of the groups.”
Space is limited, so reserve your spot today! For more information or to sign up, contact the Tourette Syndrome Program at Rutgers by calling 848-445-6111, ext. 40150, by visiting http://gsappweb.rutgers.edu/clinic/ts-clinic.php or by e-mailing TS.Program.Rutgers@gmail.com.
The Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey, in collaboration with NJCTS, also makes support available to New Jersey families via the NJCTS Parent Connection – a series of bimonthly meetings for parents of children and young adults with TS that take place in the Morris/Sussex, Middlesex/Union, Somerset/Hunterdon, Atlantic/Ocean and Burlington/Camden county areas. More information about the NJCTS Parent Connection is available by calling 908- 575-7350 or by visiting www.njcts.org.