White Matter

Highlighted areas show white matter studied

by Beaulieu and Rasmussen at the University of Alberta

A new medical study from the University of Alberta shows that the brains of children affected by FASD generally do not develop as rapidly as the brains of normal children, with brain volume and amount of white matter remaining lower as the children grow up.

But the study also finds that the “brain wiring” within the white matter of children affected by FASD can, under the right circumstances, develop more rapidly.

As a teacher, I have used interventions that build brain connections to help these children achieve better outcomes.

1) Multi-sensory reading instruction allows children to access information with multiple senses--visual, auditory, and tactile--building stronger connections between letter and sound.

2) Number sense can be taught in a concrete multi-sensory way, starting with visually grouping dots on a card to help understand how numbers can be taken apart and recombined, the first step in mental addition and subtraction.

It's also exciting to think that brain imaging may one day help identify additional specific interventions for children with brain damage from FASD.

Read the full article in Science Codex

Additionally, Stanford sometimes offers a free on-line class on  How To Teach Math, for helping children work on basic number sense. Researchers there continue to come out with useful information on teaching math.

Adjusting Our Expectations

Social worker and internationally recognized expert Diane Malbin, above, offers this very helpful developmental chart applicable to many children affected by FASD.

Sibling Support

Sandy could be an imaginative, creative playmate, and our children spent many happy hours playing blocks, dress-ups, and make believe when they were young. She could also be unpredictable, short tempered, and wildly out of control. Siblings of children affected by FASD put up with a lot, and their experience can help them become strong, wise adults.

Though Sam and Molly developed maturity and understanding at a young age, growing up with Sandy left its scars. Molly witnessed terrifying violence when Sandy lost control. Sam, away at college during Sandy's most difficult times, suffered the stress of listening to disastrous news flashes he could do nothing about. Both worried about all of our safety. I wish we had been better able to relieve them of these burdens.

Fortunately, support for sibling is now much more widely available. Some of the many sources for information include Socal FASD Network Overview;  Substance and Mental Health Services Administration booklet ;  sibling support network.

Sam and Molly accepted Sandy with innocent grace. They taught her how to play. They always encouraged her. They shared their parents. We couldn't have survived without them.

FASD Service Dogs

In the past few years some young people with FASD have begun using psychiatric service dogs with good results. The dogs both protect children and calm them. They can be trained to meet a specific child’s individual needs. For example, a service dog can deter a teenager from self-harming and running away. They can keep an overly trusting FASD-affected child safe from traffic and from stranger danger. The dog basically serves as a kind of "external brain."

Besides guarding a child’s physical safety, the dog’s natural affection can help improve a child's self-awareness, personal identity, and emotional health. The service dog’s attentive presence and cuddly weight can help calm a distraught child. Their unconditional love has improved general emotional well-being and empathy for others. Language usage, focus, and attention span have all been reported to have improved in individual children thanks to the bond with their service dog. 

More about FASD service dogs:

4pawsforability  

Connor and Lexi's Story

Service dog story for children

Above Heart Lake

Today Ron and I hiked to Heart Lake and Rogers Pass. That's me in the photo, a speck in the panoramic view at 12,000 feet. While walking, I found myself thinking about the heart of my memoir about our experience with Sandy.

When Sandy was in middle school and we were in the depths of despair over the increasingly horrifying events in her life, a voice came to me as I was walking and pondering. "Just stick with her," it said as clearly and kindly as if a wise counselor were walking next to me.

The words of the voice sustained me. The fact of the voice astounded me. I clung to the belief that we were not alone. Maybe there was meaning to this overwhelming mess.

It was not until the end of Sandy's life that I truly understood the significance of what I heard. By sticking with her--however imperfectly--we were able to show her that we loved her.

Despite all her attempts to push us away, Sandy saw that we wouldn't give up. Limping, stumbling, even crawling, we forged a bond of love, as important for us as it was to her.

All I can say is thank you.

FASD Communities

While out walking this week, I found myself pondering what else we could have done to help Sandy when she was a young adult. Once she turned eighteen, she needed so much emotional support and practical guidance, yet so little was available to her.

Sandy always had a great love of animals. What would it take to establish a self-supporting community with structure and therapy, centered around animal care—doggie day care, grooming, a kennel for overnight boarding of pets? What if Sandy had been able to live in a setting of camaraderie, positive direction, and satisfying, productive work?

Such places are now being developed! In 2011 FASD Communities was founded in Hawaii. This group of parents, social workers, and therapists aims to provide a supportive, self-sustaining working and living center, so that when those affected by FASD grow up, they can participate in a community that understands and supports their needs.

Despite damage to certain parts of the brain, people with fetal alcohol exposure have talents and skills. With care, attention, and supervision they can participate as positive, productive members of society.

They deserve a realistic chance to do so. They deserve the chance to have a life.

Information for Teens

Congratulations to the middle school creator of the prize-winning poster above.

Getting FASD information to teenagers is so very important! Santa Clara County, California made this video for teens. Much of it is from the young mother’s point of view, with information about the effects of alcohol and testimonials from people affected by FASD.

What a big difference it would make to have these facts available to all teenagers!