Despite Disabilities, Student ‘Rocks On!’

By Larissa Lytwyn

As a sixth grader at Newtown Middle School, then 11-year-old Devin Glass often wondered if he could survive what was simply his day-to-day life.

Naturally shy at an age and place he described as a “fishbowl” of ultra-self-consciousness, the preadolescent struggled to explain his many self-described “weird” behaviors.

“For example, when I made a mistake on a test or on homework, I wanted to erase that mark completely,” he explained. “Of course, you can’t erase pencil [completely]. But I tried!”

Ironically, in this quest for perfectly completed schoolwork, many of Devin’s papers became illegible.

Devin also struggled with stammering and inexplicable eye and head “tics,” sharp, sudden movements that he had no control over.

He spoke about the difficulty of having these extra issues during an already sensitive time.

“In middle school, everyone is trying to find his or her identity,” he said.

After years garnering the expert opinions of doctors and child psychologists, Devin was formally diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) at around 14 years old.

“I was relieved,” Devin said.

He began a series of medical treatments, some that left him drowsy and “spaced out,” he said. Finally, his symptoms began to become less intrusive with a combination of antidepressants Zoloft and Wellbutrin. He still takes these medications today.

“I’m a lot better now,” he said. “There is help out there if you look for it.”

Tourette’s syndrome is an inherited neurological disorder characterized, according to the National Tourette’s Syndrome Association (NTSA), by “repeated and involuntary movements [tics] and uncontrollable vocal sounds.”

Males are affected three to four more often than females. Between 2.9 and 4.5 out of every 100,000 children have it, according to the American Academy of Neurology. This adds up to about 2.3 percent of the population, a greater percentage than the number of recorded cases of schizophrenia, bipolar, and panic disorder.

“Most people with Tourette’s syndrome lead productive lives and participate in all professions,” NTSA assures.

Tourette’s syndrome is often linked with conditions such as depression and OCD. OCD, according the OCD Foundation, is characterized as engaging in ritualistic behavior. OCD behavior can manifest itself in numerous ways, from compulsions to hoard or clean excessively to memorizing religious incantations or worrying about maintaining an orderly home or personal appearance.

Devin’s erasing behavior during his middle school years indicates a preoccupation with perfection, a goal he admits he still often yearns for today.

Devin praised his quality of treatment at Yale-New Haven Hospital’s Child Study Center.

“They know what they are doing there!” Devin exclaimed. While under the center’s treatment, he took part in a special study targeting adolescent and preadolescents with OCD. The study consisted largely of surveys, Devin said, documenting his symptoms’ types and varying levels of acuteness.

During the lowest point of his middle school years, he said, music became his one respite against the almost constant pain and confusion of his condition.

“I’ve played drums for a long time,” he said. “In addition to being emotional, it’s a very physical instrument. You use every limb.”

Music has always a large part of his family, he said.

Danbury Assistant Superintendent of Schools William Glass, Devin’s father, used to play guitar during his college years. Devin’s mother Diane currently teaches private guitar lessons.

Ms Glass recalls being impressed when she saw how all of Devin’s symptoms vanished when he performed.

“It was amazing,” she said.

The years trying to identify her son’s symptoms were very difficult, she said. “But I’ve learned a lot, too,” she noted.

Devin said his father also struggled, to a lesser degree, with OCD. “When my father was growing up with it, no one knew what it was,” said Devin. “Now there’s a lot more resources available. I’ve even heard that everyone has OCD to some degree. Even if it’s as [insignificant] as thinking about whether or not you turned the facets off in the bathroom sink before you went to bed.”

As Devin began to stabilize under Wellbutrin and Zoloft, his symptoms became far less severe. “I realized how important it was to move forward,” he said, a mantra he still carries today. During his recent visit to The Bee, Devin wore a T-shirt with the words “Rock On!” emblazoned across it.

Devin’s grades improved dramatically in high school. Halfway through his high school career, he realized how much he wanted to pursue a music career.

Both as a person and a musician, he said, “My family has always been really supportive of me.”

Berklee College of Music, he said, was the “top” place for students studying contemporary music.

He recalls the day he was accepted into Berklee as one of the happiest of his life. A 2000 recipient of the Governor’s Coalition for Youth with Disabilities (GYCD) Scholarship, Devin was recently honored during a GYCD banquet commemorating October’s National Disability Employment & Awareness Month.

The 20-year-old is now a third-year student at Berklee studying film scoring.

“I’ve always considered music a character in a film,” Devin explained, citing Thomas Newman, composer and arranger of music for films including the Shawshank Redemption and American Beauty, as an inspiration. “I like Thomas Newman because he is subtle — the music is almost subconscious,” Devin said. “You feel it.”

He spoke with enthusiasm about his affection for Boston and college life. “There are no cliques,” he said. “Everyone loves what you are into — music!”

Over the summer, he performed at the Big E with his band, Lost and Found, performing shortly after an appearance by country music star Martina McBride.

Recently he finished an album honoring the rescue workers, victims, and survivors of September 11.

After graduation, he plans to “start at the bottom” of the film score business and work his way up. “The process of film scoring itself is what I really love,” he explained. “You have to start at the bottom of any field out there. Thomas Newman’s first film was Revenge of the Nerds!”

He plans to stay around the Boston area for at least a few years after graduation, working with film students at Beantown schools such as Boston University.

While he feels distant from his middle school days, he credits the experience for making him a stronger and more empathic person. “Everyone has his or her own journey,” he said. “I believe everything happens for a reason.”

He also mentioned the support of his Newtown Middle School English teacher Lorrie Aresenian, now an assistant vice principal at Newtown High School.

“Ms Aresenian was a really great teacher,” said Devin. “I was always drawn to the arts and she helped me express that.”

Ms Aresenian is equally fond of Devin. “I remember him well,” she said. “I could see how bright he was, how talented. He was able to access that through his writing.”

At Newtown High School, Devin warmly recalls the support of Principal William Manfredonia. “Mr Manfredonia is a great guy,” he said. “He is really there for his students. He was always very supportive of me.”

He encourages youth struggling with OCD, Tourette’s, or similar symptoms to simply keep moving forward. “Follow your heart,” he said.

Get Informed

National Tourette’s Syndrome Association: Offers definitions, symptoms and treatment resources for people struggling with Tourette’s symptoms at www.Tourettes.com

Obsessive Compulsive Foundation: Describes OCD symptoms and links to other disorders, including depression, anxiety, and Tourette’s syndrome at www.OCFoundation.org

Yale University School of Medicine Child Study Center: Offers resources on treatment information for Tourette’s and OCD at www.info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/tsocd/