Raising Successful Comedians Living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Focus of the Training
This seminar is designed to enrich parenting strategies by candidly addressing the core issues that often surround families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). In the last fifteen years, medical diagnosis and support services regarding FASD have dramatically advanced. We now know that FASD are whole body disorders, and not solely organic brain dysfunction. There are definite connections between even slight, physical differences, learning abilities, and sensory sensitivities. Alone or in combination, these issues often translate to what appears to be intentionally noncompliant behaviour. The focus of this session will be using this information to accurately identify your child’s unique abilities in these areas, and appreciate their challenges from a medical perspective. Based on the child or youth’s whole body disorder abilities, you can create individualized, strength-based, and fun approaches to parenting.
Topics Include:
- Discover what is new in the world of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and how they may positively influence your perceptions of behaviours.
- Review and identify your child’s unique physical, sensory, learning, and executive functioning abilities to how they might be translating to the appearance of undesirable behaviours. Learn how to figure out where behaviours are coming from, and how to develop your own strategies to reduce the incidence of stressful situations - for both of you.
- A diagnosis within FASD often comes with co-occurring disorders such as Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder. Some parents are strongly opposed to medicating their child, and some feel it is essential. Medications and alternatives will be discussed regarding physiological and emotional stressors that children with a diagnosis of FASD may experience.
- Your child’s teachers may not have specific training in the area of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Help your child’s teachers by creating an easy to read fact sheet that details everything they need to know about your child’s medical disposition. The OBD Medical Fact Sheet gives parents a format to offer constructive, pertinent information to augment teaching approaches that work for your child.
- Some young adults may be late bloomers and need ongoing support through those this tumultuous stage of life. One of the most difficult decisions in parenting youth living with FASD is knowing when to graduate their independence based on their overall executive functioning abilities versus their chronological age. This session provides an easy-to-use tool to gauge supervision needs, identify where they excel, and recognize realistically, which areas they may continue to require thoughtful supports.
- Utilizing the OBD Three Steps Plan of Action model, parents are able to design prevention strategies and intervention techniques to reduce the incidence of stress and anxiety, and/or inappropriate behaviour. Parents are encouraged to bring examples of any behavioural concern to “plug into” the model. In this session, parents will develop strategies based on their child’s specific profile, and not dated, generalized information on FASD, or guesswork.
- Very well-meaning people may think they are being helpful when in fact, they may be unintentionally triggering nerve-wracking situations. Compassion Fatigue is very common in families living with children, youth and adults with developmental disabilities. Suggestions are offered as to how to deal with family, friends and/or professionals to give you, and your child, helpful support.
- Kermit the Frog said, “It isn’t easy being green.” In closing, discussions will include finding perspective, the power of humour and resiliency, and learning about life from your child’s view of the world.
Target Audience:
Parents, Caregivers, Extended Family Members, Friends, and Support Staff
Length of Training:
Two-Day Seminar
Please contact the OBD Triage Institute directly for available dates and details. For groups preferring onsite training, the seminar is available for presentation in your community.
Fee Schedule:
Groups interested in requesting this seminar, please contact info@obdtriage.com for a special group rate. No limitation on group size. |