Native American Youth

In 1973, the year FASD was officially identified by the scientific community, I was a VISTA volunteer on a Paiute and Shoshone Indian reservation in Nevada.

The area was remote, with a town of 200 people and nearby reservation of similar size. There was a tiny grocery store, gas station/motel, and several bars. I worked in the K-12 school as an education aide to help Native American youth succeed in school and go on to college. Students were a mix of children from the rancher-controlled town and the large reservation.

Sometimes you would see children waiting in cars parked in front of the bars. Now looking back, I see the faces of FASD. 

Many reservation families did their best to provide positive cultural connections and dreams for the future. One of my fondest memories was pow wows, with elders beating traditional drums for circle dances that lasted hours. Parents taught their children beading on soft-skinned moccasins, gloves, and traditional cradleboards. Many drew on Native American wisdom for their strength.

Pictured above is  Morgan Fawcett, a young Native American from Alaska affected by FASD. This link describes his background, his work and foundation.  Despite the challenges, he is using his talents to make a difference.

 

Youth Advocates for FSD Awareness

Here's a wonderful teen action project taking place in southern Colorado!

Mother's Day

Thank you to my children for the privilege of being entrusted with your lives 

in the joyous, humbling, and transformative experience of motherhood.

The First International Conference on FASD is being held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada September 23-25, 2013. This conference will be of interest to:

•     Government officials

•     Policymakers in health, education, justice, and social services

•     Researchers in the fields of FASD, alcohol addiction, social

      determinants of health, social sciences, and social marketing

•     Service providers and healthcare professionals including

       primary care physicians, obstetricians, and gynecologists

•     Indigenous organizations

•     Those affected by FASD, their families, and other caregivers

•     Students

•     Teachers and other educators

For more information click here.

Hope to see you there!

Leveling the field

A school district in northwestern Canada is opening special classrooms for FASD-affected children. I was struck by this quote from the article:

. . . if you believe that every child should have an opportunity to feel good about themselves, see value in themselves, and leave our system with a diploma or with an opportunity to be an independent in the world, then we have a moral responsibility to level the field for everybody.”

Teachers and students can benefit from even simple awareness of the challenges of FASD. When teachers see lack of normal progress, it doesn’t mean they are doing a bad job or that the student isn’t trying. Child’s brains function differently.

Here’s a bit of information from the child's point of view. And this video offers more educational strategies.

Every child deserves to be seen in a positive light.

Out From Under the Rug

Yesterday there was an article in our local newspaper about how, years ago, doctors never said the word “cancer” because of the sigma. The same was true of schizophrenia. The stigma of mental illness continues, but the conversation is more open now. We are beginning to recognize that mental illness touches many lives, and people are hungry for information.

The story of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is similar. Most people know very little about FASD, although it affects at least five in one hundred children born today.

And the difficulty of getting a diagnosis is shameful. A doctor would never say, “Looks like pneumonia,” and leave it at that. Although there is not a cure for FASD, there are behavioral and academic approaches that can make a difference.

Children and families affected by FASD can now join online forums for support and information. But we must actively teach about FASD and disseminate information to all.

Not only will this help prevent more cases, but will provide support for those already affected. FASD is a potentially life-threatening condition. We cannot afford to sweep it under the rug. 

The Face of Optimism

Ann Streissguth, leading FASD researcher at the University of Washington.

Dr. Streissguth has been involved in the study of fetal alcohol brain damage since 1972 and was on the team that first identified fetal alcohol syndrome in the scientific literature forty years ago.

Not only does she pursue groundbreaking research but also runs a treatment clinic for children and adolescents affected by FASD.

There, clients may work on practical skills, such as controlling the urge to shoplift—“Hands in your pockets, girls!”

The clinic supports families with counseling services and guidance to help prevent secondary disabilities.

Dr. Streissguth has received many awards for her research and compassionate service.

Ann Streissguth is one of many researchers around the world working on FASD--a topic whose time has come!