Families, Caregivers, and Educators
People with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) may have neurological damage. Changes in the brain caused by the prenatal alcohol exposure can be subtle to severe. There may be no physical signs making the disorder impossible to see! People with FASDs may have difficulties processing information, with memory, focusing attention, impulsivity, etc. These issues can make living with FASD confusing and complicated not only for the person affected, but also for their family members, caregivers, and educators. The Loving and Caring for a Person with FASD online course is a great first step for families and caregivers.
Education
Many on-line resources are available that provide education about FASD and tips on supporting people living with FASD. Here are just a few:
- The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome makes available a variety of free fact sheets to help caregivers and community members, including this helpful one on Intervention.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes information on Treatments for people with FASD on their website. Please click here to visit that specific page.
The following resources were specifically designed for the school setting. However, other caregivers may also find them relevant and helpful:
- A very simple and useful tip sheet for educators was developed by Deb Evensen and Jan Lutke called Eight Magic Keys: Developing Successful Interventions for Students with FAS. This guide is available for free download through the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Centers for Excellence website.
- The FASD Centers for Excellence also developed a valuable resource for parents and teachers to use in educating elementary and middle school children called Reach to Teach.
- Do2Learn.com is a website developed to help educators and parents support students with disabilities. The section on strategies for working with students with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders can be found here.
- The FASD Education Strategies Handbook is a reference guide to be used with students suspected of having a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) or who have been diagnosed with an FASD.
Online Support
Caregivers may find sharing experiences with others to be a very useful process. The St. Louis Arc recognizes the following reputable on-line groups. Simply click on the name of the group and you will be directed to information on how to join. This list is not intended to be all inclusive. If you are in need of more resources, or are having difficulty accessing any of these groups, please contact us.