Melanie Shiffman

PROGRAM DIRECTOR 

April - May 2005

Volusia/Flagler Counties

My name is Melanie Shiffman.  I am married to my best friend Michael and am the mother of two adorable little boys.  Our oldest son, Ethan, was diagnosed last November with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) [atypical autism].  After searching Volusia County for resources for my son, I realized we had little to none available.  It was at this time that I started an online support group, The Spectrum of Volusia County.

The Spectrum of Volusia County is a support and resource group for families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and related disabilities.  We meet for seminars and workshops, and have "building social skills" events for the kids.  The Spectrum currently has sixty five members and is growing rapidly.

I focus primarily on education because we have no other resources in town.  The therapies that parents pay for out-of-pocket are expensive.  Due to this, people don't have the funds to pay for travel expenses to attend conferences.  The seminars and workshops we offer have educated many who had questions about Spectrum Disorders.  In addition, it has helped them tremendously at home, especially dealing with the everyday issues of this disorder.

The online group has opened doors for many who felt they were all alone in this difficult journey.  I'm thrilled to see them sharing, venting and helping each other through the everyday struggles.  I'm honored to be a part of this group and look forward to meeting more parents in this very special community.

To give you just a little background about who I am, I worked in the Life and Health Insurance industry for over 10 years before going to college.  While in college, I tutored Mathematics to students with learning disabilities.  In addition, I was the President of both Psi Chi, The National Honor Society in Psychology and The Psychology Club.  I was also a member of Phi Theta Kappa Society, The National Scholars Honor Society and Golden Key International Honor Society.  I was proud to be featured in two editions of The National Dean's List.  I graduated from Daytona Beach Community College and The University of Central Florida with a Psychology Degree.

To contact me just click below