FRIDAY, AUGUST 13 | 6:00 PM-8:00 PM
Top 5 Issues and Concerns During Puberty (Parents Only)
Families often experience anxiety when their son or daughter with intellectual disabilities begins to exhibit changes that occur during puberty. In this workshop, parents will learn about the most frequently identified issues and concerns of parents of tweens with I/DD and practical ways to address them. Ideas for teaching, home activities, and useful resources specifically designed for individuals with intellectual disabilities will be shared.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 14 | 9:00 AM-11:00 AM
Puberty Workshop for Pre-Adolescent Females with Intellectual Disabilities
This workshop is for pre-adolescent females (usually 9 or 10 to 14 or 15 aged girls who are just beginning, in the midst of, or close to finishing puberty) and their parent(s). Following this workshop, participants will be able to
· Distinguish between public and private places and body parts.
· Identify physical and emotional changes that happen to females during puberty
· Identify hygiene products used by adults and why they important
· Use and change a feminine hygiene pad correctly
· Identify safety rules for private body parts and what to do if rules are broken.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 14 | 12:30 PM-2:30 PM
Puberty Workshop for Pre-Adolescent Males with Intellectual Disabilities
This workshop is for pre-adolescent aged males (usually 10 or 11 to 15 or 16 aged boys who are just beginning, in the midst of, or close to finishing puberty) and their parent(s). Following this workshop, participants will be able to:
· Distinguish between public and private places, body parts, and behaviors
· Identify physical and emotional changes that happen to males during puberty
· Identify hygiene products used by adults and why they important
· Identify safety rules for private body parts and what to do if rules are broken.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 14 | 3:00 PM-5:00 PM
Dating Basics
This co-ed workshop is designed for high school-aged teens or young adults with intellectual disabilities who are interested in dating. Following this workshop, participants will be able to:
· Describe what it means to “date” and why people date
· Identify essential steps in starting a dating relationship
· Distinguish between health and unhealthy relationships
Presented by:
Terri Couwenhoven, M.S. is an AASECT certified sexuality educator who specializes in developing programs and resources for people who have intellectual disabilities, their families and the professionals who support them. She is the author of Teaching Children with Down syndrome about their Bodies, Boundaries and Sexuality: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, The Girls’ Guide to Growing Up: Choices & Changes in the Tween Years, The Boy’s Guide to Growing up: Choices & Changes During Puberty, and Boyfriends & Girlfriends: a Guide to Dating for People with Disabilities.
When she is not teaching or writing, she is Clinic Coordinator for the Down Syndrome Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. She is the mother of two girls. Her oldest daughter has Down syndrome.
This conference will be presented in-person at the Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas office located at 1702 N. Collins Blvd. Suite 170, Richardson, TX 75080. In person space is limited, and masks are encouraged. Options for Zoom viewing of the live session will also be available. Please note sessions via Zoom will be a live viewing of the in-person session vs. a direct Zoom presentation by our presenter. Questions will be monitored by staff via the Zoom chat feature. Session recordings will not be available. Registered participants will receive the Zoom login link the week of the presentation.
Registration closes Friday, August 6. Additional Questions? Contact Jennifer Ford.