By Sandra Zunino
Thanks to a collaborative effort between autism support organizations including Pathfinders for Autism, QAC Partners for Success, Parents Place of Maryland and Maryland Coalition of Families, a series of free informative workshops will be coming to the Eastern Shore.
On September 30, Mary Turos, a knowledgeable specialist in the Baltimore area, will discuss executive functions and dysfunctions, the first in a two-part workshop geared to inform parents, educators and service providers. This workshop will help gain a better understanding of the brain and development of executive functions and discuss executive dysfunction, a condition linked to problems with planning, organizing and managing time and space.
Mary Turos returns on October 11 to further explain how executive dysfunction presents during transitions from middle-to-high school and from high school-to-college. Participants will learn more about the developing adolescent brain and its executive function challenges at these critical times. Mary will also discuss strategies that can improve these important skills.
Becoming common buzzwords in schools and psychology offices, executive functions help manage all types of task from organizing a trip, to doing a research project or writing a school paper. Recognizing that a number of students lack these skills, educators are now trying to discern if a student may be struggling executive dysfunction.
“These workshops can benefit anyone who wants to attend and learn more about executive dysfunction,” explains Jennifer Doege, QAC Partners for Success parent coordinator. “This condition does not only affect people on the autism spectrum.” In fact, many people with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder suffer from executive dysfunction.
On November 10, QAC Special Education Teacher Specialist Christina Schindler will conduct a workshop introducing technologically advanced tools to support students in the autism spectrum program. Information for spring workshops will be announced later this year.
The workshops are a result of brainstorming by organizers of local Autism Support Group, which formed in 2004 as a partnership between the QAC Health Department and QAC Partners for Success to support families of children diagnosed with autism. “We decided to do something different this year and partner with Pathfinders for workshops,” says Jennifer, who is also an Autism Support Group co-facilitator. “There’s a lot of things for parents to think about and we would like to have professionals come in and address current issues.”
The Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health is the statewide family voice for children’s mental health and is dedicated to building a family-driven network of information and support, and improving services in all systems of care for children, youth and their families.
Pathfinders for Autism is a non-profit organization established in 2000 by parents of children with autism including Orioles Hall of Famer “B.J.” Surhoff and his wife, Polly. Pathfinders is expanding the reach of its programs and working with partners to improve the lives of individuals with autism, their families and those who care for them.
The QAC Partners for Success program is funded by the Maryland Department of Education as a resource for families of children with disabilities up to age 21.
Workshops will take place 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Queen Anne’s County Free Library at 121 S. Commerce Street in Centreville. Refreshments will be provided by the Parents Place of Maryland. R.S.V.P. is requested for planning purposes, but not required. For more information or to R.S.V.P., please contact Jennifer Doege at 410-758-3693.