County families stoked for November Parent Connection meeting

SOMERVILLE – The NJCTS Parent Connection at Somerset/Hunterdon scored a successful debut on September 23 when it bridged the gap for parents of children with Tourette Syndrome and other associated neurological disorders who often find it extremely difficult to locate, get to know and ultimately bond with other families struggling to mitigate through similar circumstances.

The Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey, in collaboration with the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome & Associated Disorders (NJCTS), hopes to build on that momentum when the next NJCTS Parents Connection at Somerset/Hunterdon meeting takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, November 18, at Somerset Medical Center's Hamilton Conference Room, 110 Rehill Avenue in Somerville.

The NJCTS Parent Connection is a bi-monthly meeting designed to provide face-to-face discussion, encouragement, friendship and networking for TS families through focusing on coping strategies. Tourette Syndrome – an inherited, misdiagnosed, misunderstood neurological disorder that affects 1 in 100 children – is difficult to live with and often can be very complicated and frustrating for fathers and mothers.

“I want to obtain as much information as I can about TS in order to be the best advocate possible for my daughter, and NJCTS has been tremendously helpful in providing the necessary resources,” said Megan Devero, a parent who attended the September NJCTS Parent Connection at Somerset/Hunterdon. “The NJCTS Parent Connection is invaluable in providing the opportunity to connect with other parents experiencing similar issues, and to give and receive information and support.”

In addition to learning more about Tourette Syndrome coping strategies and techniques, parents of children with TS often have expressed the need to connect with other families in their area. The NJCTS Parent Connection is the premier program in New Jersey for such interaction in the Tourette community.

“The NJCTS Parent Connection is an opportunity to get to know parents nearby and share the joys and challenges of living with a child diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome,” NJCTS Family Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator Leanne Loewenthal said. “A support network of others is vital to a family’s success, so we hope all TS families in Somerset and Hunterdon counties take advantage of this wonderful chance to ‘make a connection.’ ”

The NJCTS Parent Connection at Somerset/Hunterdon also is scheduled to meet in 2014 on January 27, March 24 and May 19. For more information, please call 908-575-7350. As an NJCTS Parent Connection date approaches, please stay tuned to www.njcts.org for updates on if the group still will take place on that date.