The education system and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

By Leslie Knibbs

SAGAMOK ANISHNAWBEK FIRST NATION–Educators are quickly becoming aware of a critical problem created by mothers exposing their unborn children to alcohol.  Front line workers including teachers and early childhood educators know children affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) have abnormal brain function. According to FASD expert Priscilla Southwind her community of Sagamok Anishnwabek First Nation, a reserve in northeastern Ontario, is plagued with issues of alcohol abuse; believes children suffering from FASD are “10 second kids operating in a one second world.”

Children suffering from FASD face a multitude of problems and have a considerably slower processing speed. This leads to problems such as storing and retrieving information, difficulty forming links and associations, problem generalizing; abstract thoughts and concepts are a problem; foreseeing outcomes is difficult, and there is a feeling of ‘disconnect’ or saying one thing and doing another — more problems than any child should have to endure.

Educators and parents alike are clearly the most put to task when dealing with the care and education of an FASD affected child.  Dealing with and addressing these concerns are an everyday occurrence in many schools.  Teaching children is a challenging profession; learning is challenging for any child. For an FASD affected child, the challenges are tenfold for both teacher and student alike. FASD is 100% preventable, but regrettably the permanent brain damage caused by drinking while pregnant is irreversible — there is no cure.

Clearly the most affected domain impairment caused by FASD is impaired ‘executive functioning.’  This brain function influences a student’s inability to plan and problem-solve to achieve goals. Behaviour of an FASD affected student may include impulsivity, resistance to change, difficulty making decisions, repeating mistakes, and difficulty stopping an activity; transitioning from one activity to another is an everyday function of students in classrooms everywhere.

Memory comes in at a close second.  Without this, a student lacks the ability to select material to be learned, and the inability to store and retrieve it when needed. This can lead to difficulties in math, spelling and reading, as well as other areas of learning. Because of this missing quality which is essential in the learning process, a student may exhibit behaviour such as ‘shutting down,’ tantrums, and getting high marks one day then failing the next.

Another problem that teachers face with FASD affected children is the lack of focus and difficulty to pay attention. This is one of the main problems children affected with FASD face. Characteristics of this include difficulty sitting still, easily distracted, inattentive or not paying attention in class, and transitioning between activities.

Studies show students with FASD have a long history of academic struggles. Because of poor reading comprehension, lack of focus and organizational skills, a student is often ‘mislabeled as unmotivated, or not trying’, according to Priscilla Southwind.

“The basis for most academic and vocational programs relies on the belief that most brains function in a similar way,” believes Southwind.

There is a belief that rapid processing speed along with the ability to retrieve and store information will lead to a student learning at a normal pace. This is not the case with an FASD affected child.

Southwind said teachers and parents alike should reflect positive responses to an FASD affected child or student.

“If we see behaviour as willful, we use punitive measures; if we recognize behaviour as a symptom of a disability, we are able to use more supportive measures,” noted Southwind.

Southwind used the analogy of a blind child in school to illustrate her point.

“Once we accept and believe this, punishing these behaviours is as effective as punishing a blind child who ‘refuses’ to read the smart board,” stated Southwind.

A study done in the United States by Ann P. Streissuth at the University of Washington in Seattle says FASD is recognized as the leading known cause of mental problems.

The study goes on to say academic achievement is lower with an FASD affected child than that expected for same age youngsters. According to the study, teachers’ major concerns with younger children are impulsivity poor attention, and difficulty making transitions. As a child grows older, the impulsivity is replaced by restlessness and “ a ‘tendency to split’ or ‘bail out’ when situations become too frustrating.”  The combination of challenging behaviours such as poor self control, inadequate communication skills, and lack of focus can lead parents, teachers, and affected students alike to feelings of helplessness and frustration.

According to Streissuth’s study, the most debilitating characteristic of FASD is a poor ability to meet and adapt to the demands of a student’s surroundings or environment. She believes the educational experience should help students become as independent as possible, both in the present and the future leading to adulthood where the individual is functioning as fully as they are able to. Streissuth asserts the goals and objectives of an educational system should go beyond the classroom and focus on skills to be used not only in the classroom, but also in homes and communities, thereby leading to successful and productive citizens.

In the same study, the researchers assert that although the problem is relevant in all populations, it is more widespread in cultures where alcohol abuse is more prevalent.

Not unlike our own Indigenous people, the researchers from the University of Washington believe a rediscovery of traditional cultural values that preserve and enhance a life is essential in educating young people. A belief that families and educators must have access to the wisdom of their cultures and opportunities to learn to function within these values is essential according to Southwind and other presenters at the conference.

Dr. Streissuth believes educating a child suffering from FASD is “both an art and a science,” and educators must focus special attention on the needs of “these very special students.”

Perhaps the leading province addressing the FASD affected student is British Columbia (BC). The BC Ministry of Education is clearly the first one off the blocks when addressing special education for FASD students.

Veteran teachers as well as neophytes in the profession can access clear and concise information on teaching children with FASD. An in depth preparation guide is set out on the Ministry’s website.

Case studies are included showing examples of success in using strategies developed by the BC ministry.

All teachers are encouraged to access this valuable information at www.bcedgov.bc.ca/specialed/fas/teachstu.htm.