FASD Elephant™ Podcast & Blog – Details, episodes & analysis

If you've struggled with constant lateness, this story is for you!

After sharing a little about Podfest 2018, you can hear a short but not-so-simple experience I had that gave me some surprising insights into being late. Feel free to learn from my mistakes for more of your own parenting peace.

Two mistakes to avoid are clearly labeled in the podcast, but the third is only alluded to. So, I'll state the third mistake clearly here in the show notes: "Stuff Your Own Feelings--MOMENTARILY!" Check out the podcast to learn more about handling chronic lateness.

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See www.FASDElephant.com for show notes.

People with FASD (including FAS) have both primary and secondary disabilities. Secondary disabilities are those disabilities that arise because of a mismatch between the brain damage and factors in the environment--they are not directly caused from the brain damage.

Streissguth, et al (1996) conducted a four year study on the secondary disabilities of 415 individuals with FASD and found six secondary disabilites:

1. Mental Health Problems - 90% of the 415 had mental health conditions of any type; 61% had ADHD and more than 50% had depression.
2. Disrupted School Experiences - Over 60% had disruptions in school... from suspensions to drop-out.
3. Trouble with the Law - 60% had trouble with the law, with shoplifting and theft the most common crime.
4. Confinement - 50% had been confined, either incarcerated, inpatient mental health hospitalization, or inpatient chemical dependency treatment.
5. Inappropriate Sexual Behavior - 49% had displayed inappropriate sexual behavior, most common was sexual advances, sexual touching, and promiscuity.
6. Alcohol and Drug Problems - 35% had chemical abuse problems.

Feedback or comments may be sent to: Michael__at__FASDElephant__dot__com.

People with FASD (including FAS) have both primary and secondary disabilities. Primary disabilities are those with which the person is born, such as seizures, sensory integration problems, etc. These are a direct result of the brain damage from prenatal alcohol exposure, and the topic of today's podcast.

Feedback or comments may be sent to: Michael__at__FASDElephant__dot__com.

Today's podcast reviews the Ten Brain Domains of FAS and FASD in a little more depth; it is still an overview but gives more flesh to the domains in the context of completing an FASD Wheel.

This is the third of a multi-part series edited from a workshop on the FASD Wheel (TM) presented at the 2007 Brain Conference on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Mahnomen, MN... one of the largest annual conferences held in Minnesota.

Feedback or comments may be sent to: Michael__at__FASDElephant__dot__com.

Today's podcast reviews brain functioning and how it can be affected by FASD.

This is the second of a multi-part series edited from a workshop on the FASD Wheel (TM) presented at the 2007 Brain Conference on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Mahnomen, MN... one of the largest annual conferences held in Minnesota.

Feedback or comments may be sent to: Michael__at__FASDElephant__dot__com.

Today's podcast reviews useful metaphors and non-useful misattributions regarding FASD. This is the first of a multi-part series edited from a workshop on the FASD Wheel (TM) presented at the 2007 Brain Conference on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Mahnomen, MN... one of the largest annual conferences held in Minnesota. See www.FASDElephant.com for more details.

Feedback or comments may be sent to: Michael__at__FASDElephant__dot__com.

1. Achievement,
2. Adaptive behavior,
3. Attention,
4. Cognition,
5. Executive functioning,
6. Language,
7. Memory,
8. Motor skills,
9. Sensory integration and soft neurological problems, and
10. Social communication.

These domains are reviewed in the podcast and will be further expanded upon in future podcasts.

Feedback or comments may be sent to: Michael__at__FASDElephant__dot__com.

1. Moderate to severe FAS facial features are present (small eyes, flattened philtrum, thinned upper lip),
2. Central nervous system (CNS) damage is severe (either structural or neurological problems, or problems in three or more functional brain domains), and
3. Prenatal alcohol exposure is confirmed.

The problem with FASD conditions is not about the facial features or growth deficiency. It is about the CNS damage that then creates functional problems in an individual's life. That is why the assessment of the Ten Brain Domains is so important and the most germain aspect to an FASD Evaluation: to find out how to help an individual function better.

Don't worry about getting caught up in the specifics all the diagnoses. Just know that if an individual had moderate to severe prenatal alcohol exposure AND has functional problems, then an FASD condition (disability) may be present.

This leads to another question that someone asked last week at a workshop I gave: "I had a few drinks before I knew I was pregnant, but stopped in the second month. My kid has terrific grades, but has low attention skills and poor social skills [Adaptive Behavior problems, from the Ten Brain Domains perspective].

Does this mean he has FASD?" No. While there is no recommended safe level of drinking alcohol while pregnant, this situation does not result in an automatic FASD diagnosis. The attention skills and behavior problems would have to be severe, and the most important thing is missing: A diagnostic team would need to be convinced that the problems were related to the alcohol exposure. Attention and social skills can be affected by so many factors in life (e.g., genetics, peer group, parenting style, etc.) that this are not diagnostic.

I would like to caution everyone not to "over-diagnose" just as much as I want to caution everyone to be knowledgeable about the potential negative effects of prenatal alcohol exposure.

• Can be found at www.FASDElephant.com

Next week, we will review the Ten Brain Domains, which will start giving a better idea of what exactly CNS damage is. Until then....

Feedback or comments may be sent to: Michael__at__FASDElephant__dot__com.