Post-Secondary presentations

The aim of FASD Post-Secondary Training is to educate students about FASD and help prepare them for their future careers.

Students in programs as diverse as corrections, psychology, addictions, nursing, and education benefit from this interac­tive FASD workshop. Students learn strategies for support and gain an understanding of the lived experience of FASD. Each attendee will be challenged to consider how they might use this knowledge of FASD to make a difference in their fu­ture careers. FASD is a unique disability that requires knowl­edge and understanding of the fundamental behaviors to of­fer beneficial support or assistance to the individual.

Classrooms throughout Saskatchewan can benefit from these free training sessions that can be tailored to fit the needs of their specific curriculum and future careers. Stu­dents, armed with this knowledge, can make a difference.

The FASD Network will travel throughout the province to offer this free Post-Secondary training to classrooms from various fields of study. Contact the Network at (306) 975 – 0885 or training@fasdnetwork.ca to book a presentation in your classroom.

Understanding Environment

Every day, your senses take in a huge amount of information from your environment. Receiv­ing and interpreting this range of information is called sensory processing. Because the brain takes in so much information, the sensory system works best when all senses work together, which is called sensory integration. Prenatal exposure to alcohol can damage the central nervous system and cause sensory processing or integration problems. Generally, this looks like over or under-sensitivity in taste, smell, touch, hearing, sight, vestibular input (movement sensation), and/or proprioception (a sense of where your body is in relation to your sur­roundings). This can result in sensory-seeking behaviours, such as unusual hyperactivity or avoidant behaviours such as shutting down to any responsive actions.
 
When a child is displaying inappropriate behaviours, sometimes an easy solution is to look at the environment and determine how we can adapt it to better support him.

• Avoid things that may trigger sensory issues, such as strong smells or lighting.
• Allow fidget toys when a child needs to be listening or sitting still.
• Allow the use of headphones, sunglasses, or weighted clothes to help individuals with their sensory processing.
• Have a separate quiet place for when the child needs to calm down.
• Try to reduce the activity/noise when the child needs to focus.
• Keep the room arrangement simple and easy to navigate: Visuals can be used as con­crete reminders for where things belong.
• Allow the child to take body breaks when needed.

Accommodating Meetings

Engaging in formal meetings may be frustrating for both the individual living with FASD and the professional/person conducting the meeting if there is not proper understanding. Individuals living with FASD may encounter difficulties with comprehension, time management, memory, along with sensory issues, all of which can create barriers for attending and making sense of meetings. For example, an individual may forget they have a meeting or have difficulty getting to the meeting on time. Once at the meeting, the individual may have trouble comprehending what is being spoken about or have sensory issues that prevent them from being fully present. Even if the individual has little to no difficulties during the meeting, they may still have trouble recalling what was discussed afterwards.

Thus, it may be vital for an individual living with FASD to have a support worker attend important meetings with them. A support worker can aid in reminding the individual about the meeting and ensuring they get there on time. They can also help the individual with any prep, such as completing paperwork, bringing important documents, or even discussing talking points beforehand. During the meeting, the support worker can take notes and help ensure that the information is being relayed in a way that is clear to the individual. Lastly, the support worker can be there to debrief after the meeting and help the individual with any necessary follow-up action.

It is important to remember that the individual living with FASD may have no control over these barriers and having a support worker may be an important tool for their success. Being aware and understanding of this will not only be beneficial to the individual but to those conducting the meetings as well.