Saturday, April 29, 2023, 12:00-4:00 pm
25 Sylvan Road South, Suite U, Westport, CT
Virtual Link Available
Tickets: $20/adult; $10/child; $25/virtual only
Come meet other families with EDS and learn about how EDS affects school — and school affects EDS!
Growing up with a symptomatic connective tissue disorder can be challenging—and socially-isolating. In fact, some 30% of kids with EDS and other heritable connective tissue disorders end up requiring homebound instruction for some period of time.
We are working to change that. Cajal Academy therapists and staff will share our learnings from working with EDS kids about how connective tissue disorders impact kids’ educational needs at school — and how the everyday activities of school can exacerbate their symptoms. We’ll present recommendations from the National Academy of Science’s 2022 Report on HDCTs, practical tips to optimize kids’ access to school environments and social and emotional learning, and the strategies that we’ve successfully used at Cajal to help HDCT kids get back to in-person learning.
Steven Mattis, PhD, A.B.P.P.
Neuropsychologist
Heather Edwards, MSOTR-L
Occupational Therapy
Cheryl Viirand, JD
Head of School
Workshops for Parents, Educators, Physicians and Special Education Advocates & Attorneys
The connection between connective tissue disorders & learning
Learn how joint hypermobility, MCAS, autonomic dysfunction & other common HDCT comorbidities impact academic & social-emotional learning.
Moving beyond accommodations to empower EDS kids
Learn about specialized instruction & therapeutic services that can help EDS kids thrive in in-person learning environments
Making school more Zebra-Friendly
Find out about accommodations & environmental shifts to reduce schools’ negative impacts on EDS symptoms
Navigating the Special Ed Process for EDS Kids
In this session for parents, educators, physicians and attorneys, we’ll talk about EDS kids’ educational rights under both section 504 of the ADA and the IDEA, and how to advocate for the solution that will best meet their needs.
Special Event for Zebra Kids
Come meet other EDS’ers who get it!
Growing up with chronic medical conditions can be isolating—and meeting other kids like you can make all the difference! While parents and providers are in our educational workshops, Cajal Academy staff and therapists will be hosting special activities for kids in grades 1-12 who have suspected or diagnosed connective tissue disorders or their common comorbidities, including joint hypermobility, mast cell activation syndrome, orthostatic intolerance/POTS, chronic pain or fatigue, among others. These events will include:
Tips for protecting hypermobile joints, avoiding POTS & more
Support for Sensory Kids
Teen Hang Out
Art Projects for all
These events are in-person only, and tickets are $10 per child. Register to join us!
Reception to Follow
3:30-4:00 pm
We’re bringing the ecosystem together! Meet other families, and the providers who support them!
Register for this Event:
Learn more about Cajal Academy’s “Zebras Program” for kids with connective tissue disorders and other complex medical conditions!