Easter fun for 21 Club
Classic features of the disorder, both of which must be present, are inappropriate social behaviour coupled with repetitive, restrictive behaviours.
EASTER baskets filled with Easter eggs, bunnies and chickens set the scene for 21 Club’s March meeting.
Lords and Legends provided a delicious Easter lamb roast feast and dessert was chocolate, of course.
A lucky person from each table won a mini Easter hamper in the lucky draw and a further three ‘Hair by Sheila’ vouchers were scooped by delighted members.
Thank you Jackie Holdrick and Gwyn Mc Leod for sponsoring the Easter eggs on the tables.
Guest speakers Margaret Ferguson and Eddie Maulson are well known to many Toti residents. Both started out as teachers in Durban, but soon concentrated on specialised qualifications in psychology. They both became psychologists for the then-Natal Education Department, Eddie in 1976 and Margaret in 1991. They were sent to serve Toti and the South Coast area in 1992. Together they have worked for the department and then in private practice for more than 20 years.
Margaret said: “With all the connections with schools that we made up until 1996, it made sense to stay in private practice here. Other reasons for being in Toti were to do with enjoying the people we worked with and the friends that we made. We also learnt so much from people here and feel connected to the community at many levels.
As much as half our work is with children and their parents and covers all forms of issues which may arise, we also work with adults doing couple work, trauma debriefing and otherwise psychotherapy following a psychodynamic therapeutic approach.”
Asked specifically to update the club on autistic spectrum disorder which seems to be on the rise, Eddie explained: “The concept of an autistic spectrum disorder combines Asperger’s, autism, pervasive developmental disorder and disintegrative disorder of childhood into one and in so doing, recognises that the disorders form a continuum ranging from mild to severe. Classic features of the disorder, both of which must be present, are inappropriate social behaviour coupled with repetitive, restrictive behaviours. Each child with the disorder will display an unique set of symptoms and treatment is usually behavioural in nature and to be successful, needs to be very intensive. Persons with the disorder tend to be very literal and generally do not cope with changes to an established routine.”
Many thanks to Eddie and Margaret who answered questions afterwards. They left members not only more informed about the disorder but also confirmed their availability to the community in their professional capacity.
21 Club’s birthday party on Friday, 29 April will be held at Lords and Legends conference room at noon for 12.30pm. Wear pearls for guest speaker, Peter Butterworth’s ‘pearls of wisdom’ talk. Members are reminded that confirmation of intention to attend or not and names of guests must be received by any of the following committee members by Friday, 22 April: Lyn on 082-572-1328 or 031-9034-026; Golda on 083-633-6338 or 031-916-7001 and Gwyn on 072-223-3009 or 031-903-3126. Unfortunately, guests can only be accommodated if there is room.
