The Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Down Syndrome Clinic are partnering to present a Sibling Workshop with Dr. Brian Skotko and Sue Levine. This workshop is an opportunity for siblings who have brothers and sisters with Down syndrome to come together to discuss their common hopes, concerns, and questions. This is NOT a workshop for individuals with Down syndrome, but for their siblings.
We will also have a session especially for parents of children with all ages titled, What Your Other Children Without Down Syndrome Are Thinking: Sibling Issues. This seminar will cover how parents can help typically-abled siblings deal with questions, difficult life moments, negative feelings, and more.
Brian Skotko and Sue Levine have experience leading workshops for brothers and sisters who have siblings with disabilities at local and national conferences. In these workshops, brothers and sisters have opportunities, through interactive exercises, games, and role-playing scenarios, to learn more about disabilities in an accepting and confidential environment with peers. Brothers and sisters come away from the workshops with more information, social connections with peers, and early lessons on advocacy. Scroll down to read the bios of Brian and Sue!
WHO: Siblings and parents of individuals with Down syndrome
WHEN: Saturday, November 18th
SESSIONS:
10:30 - 12:00pm: Ages 4-8 with Sue Levine
12:00pm - 12:30pm: Lunch
12:30pm - 2:00pm: Parent Presentation with Sue and Brian (childcare during the presentation is now FULL)
2:00 - 5:00pm: Ages 9-14 with Sue; Ages 15+ with Brian
WHERE: DSAW State Headquarters (11709 W Cleveland Ave, Suite 2, West Allis, WI 53227)
COST: Free! Brian and Sue's book Fasten Your Seatbelt: A Crash Course on Down Syndrome for Brothers and Sisters will be available for purchase during the day.
Scroll down to sign up! Space is limited, so RSVP today! Registration will close on Thursday, November 16, or when sessions are full.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:
Brian Skotko, MD, MPP: A Board-certified medical geneticist and Co-Director of the Down Syndrome Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Skotko has dedicated his professional energies toward children with cognitive and development disabilities. In 2001 he co-authored the national award-winning book, Common Threads: Celebrating Life with Down Syndrome and, most recently, Fasten Your Seatbelt: A Crash Course on Down Syndrome for Brothers and Sisters. He is a graduate of Duke University, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard Kennedy School. Dr. Skotko recently authored major research on how physicians deliver a diagnosis of Down syndrome to new and expectant parents. He has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The L.A. Times, NPR’s “On Point,” and ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Dr. Skotko serves on the Honorary Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, the Board of Directors for the Band of Angels Foundation, and the Professional Advisory Committee for the National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Down Syndrome Resources.
Susan Levine, MA, CSW: Susan is a co-founder and social worker at Family Resource Associates, Inc., a private, non-profit agency serving individuals with disabilities and their families in central New Jersey. She earned a B.A. degree in psychology from Bucknell University and a M.A. degree in Child Development and Family Relations from the University of Connecticut. Susan has spent her entire professional career working with children with disabilities and their families. She has conducted support programs for parents and siblings of children with differing abilities for the past 30 years. Among those programs, Susan has coordinated support groups specifically for parents of children with Down syndrome. She has presented on the needs of siblings at national and regional conferences on Down syndrome, spina bifida, and Rett syndrome, as well as for New Jersey school system parent groups. Additionally, she writes quarterly newsletters for brothers and sisters (For Siblings Only, for children aged 4-9, and Sibling Forum, for children aged 10 through teen) which are distributed nationally and are available on the web at the agency website www.frainc.org. She also co-authored the book, Fasten Your Seatbelt: A Crash Course on Down Syndrome for Brothers and Sisters.
Registration is now closed. Thank you!
Fasten Your Seatbelt: A Crash Course on Down Syndrome for Brothers and Sisters
Dr. Brian Skotko and Sue Levine, our presenters, co-authored a book about brothers and sisters. If you pre-ordered your book, you can pick it up at the conference. In addition, a limited number of books will be for sale on the day of the workshop.
