MGH Pediatric OCD & Tic Disorders Program

01/30/2024

Hello All!

The Tourette Association of America has some awesome events coming up and as always so many great resources. If you have not visited their website we encourage you to do so! It can be accessed through the link below.

https://tourette.org/?emci=57a5976f-8cbb-ee11-b660-002248223197&emdi=904b894c-76bc-ee11-b660-002248223197&ceid=4420037

01/16/2024

We hope that you are all doing well and having a great start to 2024! This would be an awesome panel to learn more and ask questions about Coprolalia.

Link for the event: https://tourette.org/taa_events/coprophenomena-a-panel-discussion/

Link where you can register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KSPjM3SpQXCrmcKo6kR2ew #/registration

12/05/2023

Happy Holidays!

Mark your calendars for these exciting and interesting events in coming up in December and January!

Holiday Mingles
Each facilitated by our Program Lead (Wendy Wegman) and Youth Coordinator (Haley Carlton). Two links are provided:

1. Registration for children ages 8-11 (Dec. 19, 6:30-7:00pm EST)
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIuf-GorTkjE91yOT7OFdZWxN7IYNMxRFwx #/registration

2. Registration for children ages 5-7 (Dec 20, 6:00-6:30pm EST) https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0scu6srjooHtRswjqeLen7qeTfocKNDD0Q #/registration

Coprophenomena: A Discussion Panel
(Jan. 16 – 7:00-8:00pm EST), the panelists for which include persons with lived experience as well as specialists in assessing and addressing Coprophenomena. One link appears below:

1. Registration link (Jan. 16 – 7:00-8:00pm EST)
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KSPjM3SpQXCrmcKo6kR2ew #/registration

12/05/2023

Join the TAA, L'Oreal, and Oracle to practice and refine your interviewing skills, with a focus on the neurodiverse workforce!🌟

We're holding mock interviews- gain experience and learn with us on December 6 from 12-2pm ET!

📝Register to secure your spot now at https://tourette.org/taa_events/mock-interviews-for-job-seekers-2

12/05/2023

Join the TAA and the NDRN virtually on December 6 at 5pm ET!🌟
You'll learn more about the main federal laws that focus on preventing disability discrimination in employment, and we'll discuss common questions about reasonable accommodations, disclosing disability to potential or current employers, and disability-based harassment or discrimination.
📝Register to secure your spot now at https://tourette.org/taa_events/making-employment-work/

09/21/2023

Be sure to check this out!!

08/28/2023

Good Morning!

The Tourette Association of America always has new events and programs that may be helpful for you and your child. Please use the link below to see the current workshops, research articles, support groups, etc that they have to offer.

https://tourette.org/get-involved/events/

08/16/2023

The Tourette Association of America has many exciting events and webinars coming up! Please use the link to view all of the events and for more information!

https://tourette.org/get-involved/events/?emci=43ee6287-da36-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&emdi=dc9da58a-6838-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&ceid=4420037

08/09/2023

The 2023 TAA Virtual Teen Summit Presentation is on August 12th!! This program has a wealth of information and resources and teens that we care of have benefited from attending. Register here: https://tourette.org/2023-virtual-teen-summit/

Virtual Teen Summit is only ONE WEEK AWAY! 📣 Don't forget to register now to join in on presentations like "Beep! Tic! Beep! How to Navigate the Road with Tics," presented by Eric Ji, TAA Rising Leader, Shannon Floyd, OTR/L, and Peter Wegman, Driver's Education Instructor.

From passing your driver’s education test to addressing law enforcement, teens aged 12-17 will learn the basics of driving, explore what it means to drive with tics, and how to talk to police officers and EMTs about Tourette Syndrome and Tic Disorders.

Register now and join us for the presentation above and more on August 12th from 12:00-4:00pm ET: https://tourette.org/2023-virtual-teen-summit/

02/02/2023

The Virtual National Conference of the Tourette Association of America is happening on May 19-20, 2023! This is a great opportunity to connect with and learn from others impacted by TS &Tic Disorders.

The conference includes exciting programming over two days:

May 19 - The Virtual Research Symposium: Showcasing and fostering innovation and development within our medical, scientific and research community.

May 20 - The Virtual Family and Education Conference: Designed for the wider TAA community, that is, anyone, anywhere touched by TS and Tic Disorders.

Consider attending this event to expand your knowledge, discover new insights, connect with others, and make a difference! Register in the link down below to attend.

Our virtual event will be held on May 19 and 20. The first day will be dedicated to our annual Research Symposium and the second day to our Family, Youth and Education Conference. Your all-inclusive registration entitles you to attend both exciting events.

09/28/2022

October is OCD Awareness Month! To kickoff this month, we would like to share a few upcoming events from the IOCDF that will be happening this fall:
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Howie Mandel, NAMI & NOCD Jumpstart OCD Awareness Month with a Mental Health Discussion (September 28 at 1-2pm EDT)

Ahead of OCD Awareness Month, Howie Mandel, NAMI and NOCD are coming together to have a conversation on Wednesday, September 28th, to help people with severe mental health issues, like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), know what to do and where to go if feeling alone.

This discussion is hosted by NOCD in support of NAMI and Dr. Ken Duckworth, M.D.’s. recent publishing of the seminal new mental health education book “You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health.”

Register here: https://nocd.zoom.us/webinar/register/4016627388492/WN_8rnda8gFQPqg7tWniJ8Scg
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Online OCD Conference (November 4-6)
https://events.iocdf.org/event/be51d5d7-11b2-4ece-87fb-3e73a63640d9/summary?utm_source=slider_iocdf&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=perinatal&utm_content=launch

Join us for three days of virtual programming for the entire OCD and related disorders community at the 2022 Online OCD Conference! Get ready to connect and learn with others who understand, and hear from treatment providers, researchers, and lived experience individuals (along with their support sy...

08/15/2022

The team at Beyond BookSmart has put together a great article that breaks down executive functioning and why these skills matter for students. Check on the link below for the article "School Essentials: What You Should Know About Executive Function". Please, feel free to like and share if you find this helpful!

https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/executive-functioning-strategies-blog/school-essentials-what-you-should-know-about-executive-function

08/09/2022

The Kids Online Safety Act of 2022 (KOSA) empowers kids and parents to take control over kids’ online experiences to better protect their health and well-being. Check out this link for more information.

08/02/2022

As the new school year is approaching, we would like to share some back-to-school resources. Please, like and share if you find this helpful!

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Free Webinars
Links: https://home.mcleanhospital.org/webinar-series

- Easing Back to School Anxieties for Kids & Parents (Tuesday August 30th at 11am)
It is being facilitated by Julie B. Cullen, LICSW, EdM. It will share tips and tricks to feel more excited about the upcoming school year, provide methods of lowering anxiety for both children and adults, and answer audience questions about how we can all feel a little more at ease about whatever the school year may bring.

- Ask Me Anything About Student Mental Health (Thursday August 18th at 11am)
It is being facilitated by Melinda Macht-Greenberg, PhD. It will discuss the mental health challenges that students are facing, share subtle ways for caregivers to check on their kids’ well-being, and answer audience questions about children, adolescents, and their mental health.

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Resources for Massachusetts:

- School 2022 year updates: Special education, home/hospital tutoring program, virtual schooling options, COVID updates, and family webpage for parents and guardians. https://www.doe.mass.edu/backtoschool/

- Back to school backpacks: for low income families who need help with school supplies can register online https://beverlybootstraps.org/get-involved/

07/01/2022

Today, we are happy to share a school project one of our patients presented on Tourette Syndrome at his school’s 4th grade Research Expo!

From his parent, "He shared information about what Tourette Syndrome is, how it can impact people’s lives, strategies some use to manage tics, suggestions for interacting with a person who has tics, and a bit of history about Tourette Syndrome, among other things. His project display was very well supplied by the TAA, and many visitors stopped by to ask questions and learn! He was happy to share his own experiences and appreciated the genuine interest of classmates, staff members, and families who talked with him! We are also grateful from the support he receives from his providers and the Tourette Association!".

05/26/2022

Please visit the link below for an article that Gene Beresin, MD and Gretchen Felopulos, PhD wrote for Psychology Today as a resource for providers and patients regarding discussions of gun violence with kids of all ages.

Parents need to help our children process the recent wave of shootings.

05/26/2022

Sharing this message from Dr. Warren Y.K. Ng, President of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), relating to the tragic shooting that took place in Uvalde, Texas earlier this week. Please, see the end of this post for links to resources complied by the AACAP to help families and children cope with violence and violent images.


"The horrific details of yesterday’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas are still emerging, but one thing is crystal clear: We can and must do better for our nation’s children.

We are angry and deeply saddened by the depraved and senseless act of violence that took so many innocent lives and affected so many more. We grieve alongside the community of Uvalde and all of those affected by yesterday’s horrific event, together with all of the other communities who have experienced these tragedies. In a speech addressing the nation last night President Biden said, “It’s time to turn this pain into action. For every parent, for every citizen in this country, we have to make it clear to every elected official in this country: It’s time to act.”

AACAP joins millions of Americans across this country in calling for strong measures to better protect our children and our communities from the growing epidemic of gun violence. As an association dedicated to protecting the health of children everywhere, our children's safety is our nation’s first task.

We must protect our nation’s children and resolve to end this senseless violence. It’s time to do more.

AACAP stands with you, our youth, and our families to act.

Warren Y.K. Ng, MD, MPH
President, AACAP

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."
-Nelson Mandel

In hopes of helping families and children cope with violence and violent images, AACAP compiled the following resources:

AACAP Resource Library on Guns and Violence
https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Libraries/Resource_Library_on_Guns.aspx?utm_source=Informz&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Annual%20Meeting&_zs=20ona1&_zl=6C0O8

Psychological First Aid for Schools (PFA-S) Field Operations Guide - NCTSN
https://www.nctsn.org/resources/psychological-first-aid-schools-pfa-s-field-operations-guide%20?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=image&utm_campaign=nctsn-rapid-response&utm_term=Uvalde

Resources for Victims and Survivors of Gun Violence
https://everytownsupportfund.org/everytown-survivor-network/resources-for-victims-and-survivors-of-gun-violence/

From Healing to Action: A Toolkit for Gun Violence Survivors and Allies
https://giffords.org/toolkit/from-healing-to-action-a-toolkit-for-gun-violence-survivors-and-allies/ "

05/10/2022

Learn about tic disorders! Sharing part three of our three-part Q&A with Dr. Greenberg, Director of the MGH Pediatric OCD And Tic Disorders Program.

Part 3: Co-Occurring Disorders