Transcript FASD - Scottish Prison Arts Network

FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER
(FASD)
Denica Dione Patterson
SPAN Placement Student
2016
Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder
(FASD):
“FASD can be used to describe
both neurological brain damage
and physical anomalies as a
direct result of alcohol exposure
to a fetus or embryo during
pregnancy. The word “spectrum”
is used to describe the wide
ranging effects in individuals
with the disability.”
(Regina Community Clinic, 2013)
SIGNS of FASD:
Memory Issues:
• Inconsistent memory
•
May ‘make up’ information in order to fill the gaps of memory
Decisions:
• Decision-making struggles
• Inability to understand responsibility
Social Skills:
• Incapacity to understand social cues
• Different boundaries
Time and Place:
• Change of routines may cause a change in emotion and
attitude
• Inability to understand the concept of time and appointments
Communication:
• Fill in ‘memory gaps’ with creative stories
• Unable to understand abstract meanings
• Need to be explained things as a young child would need to be
(Regina Community Clinic, 2013; Cherron, 2015)
DIAGNOSES:
Diagnoses through consultation of
psychologists, psychiatrists and other
health practitioners with certain
qualifications:
– Multidisciplinary assessment teams
– Examine brain domain
– Facial dysmorphology, growth,
neurobehavioral and medical
history of prenatal exposure
(Regina Community Clinic, 2013)
FOUR DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORIES OF FASD:
• FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome)
All physical characteristics and brain damage, the least common
• pFAS (Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome)
Some physical characteristics, but not all, and brain damage
Physical differences may be very subtle and easily overlooked
• ARNS (Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder)
No physical characteristics, but brain damage
• ARBD (Alcohol Related Birth Defects)
Defects in fetal developmental that result in birth defects
PAE (Prenatal Alcohol Exposure)
FASD can be misdiagnosed as only: ADHD, ODD, CD, Depression, Anxiety, Attachment
Disorder, and/or PTSD unless connected back to PAE.
To ask an individual with FASD to improve upon a brain
area that is damaged;
is to ask a blind person to see.
(Healthy Child Manitoba, 2013)
TREATMENT:
There is currently no known
medical treatment for
individuals with FASD
(Charron, 2015)
OUTCOMES of FASD:
Mental health problems
– Psychiatric conditions
Have learning issues
– Unlikely to finish education
– Academically, socially, vocationally
– Memory impairments
More likely to…
– Experience trouble with the law (and be confined to prison)
– Be involved with the child welfare systems
• Parental abandonment and neglect
– Be admitted into a mental institution
Higher chance of…
– Homelessness
– Suicide
– Maladaptive social behaviour
Drug and/or alcohol abuse and addiction
Interpersonal and social challenges
– Victimization by others
(Regina Community Clinic, 2013; Rafferty-Bugher & Brown, 2015)
FASD in SCOTLAND:
• 5 million people in Ireland,
Britain, Scotland and Wales
• 256 combinations of FASD
(Charron, 2015)
Law
60% Trouble with the law
60%
Incarceration
50%+ Incarcerated
50%
Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Mental-health disorders,
drug and alcohol abuse
90%
(Charron, 2015)
FASD and PRISON:
Individual with FASD BENEFIT from:
family and community support
PRISON:
rules and structure, but aggressive nature, unsuitable for FASD
Challenges in prison setting:
• Struggle understanding consequences, abstract concepts, time
management, social cues, poor impulse control, inappropriate
sexual behaviour
• Manipulation
• Victimization
(Heidema, 2008)
FASD and ART:
Individuals with FASD…
•
•
•
•
Are often artistic
Abilities surpass their age
Are storytellers, actors, comedians
Benefit from arts projects, community theater, music
therapy
(National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, nd; Rafferty-Bugher & Brown, 2015)
FASD and ART:
Music:
Helps with…
• SOCIAL: social skills, interaction and bonding; socialization
and communication.
• MENTAL: enhancing areas of the brain; assist with circuitry
parts of the brain damaged, promote nerve growth in the brain.
• EMOTIONAL: outlet for emotions; assist with communicating
feelings; calming effect
**Must be cognizant that the various loud noises may be overwhelming, so
earplugs should be available
(National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, nd; Rafferty-Bugher & Brown, 2015)
FASD and ART:
Art:
Helps with…
• MENTAL: improve brain circuitry, decrease impulsivity and
violence, increase concentration; establish coping and relaxation
tactics; enhance ability to focus
• EMOTIONAL: stress-reduction and emotional regulation; acquire
non-verbal expression of feelings; increase self-esteem; improve
positive social relations; increase self-awareness
(National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, nd; Rafferty-Bugher & Brown, 2015)
USEFUL TACTICS:
• Visual cues for teaching, allow
better information processing
• Personal sketchbooks, also
assisted with memory issues
• Scented markers, varied sensory
processing
• Mandalas
(Rafferty-Bugher & Brown, 2015)
References:
Charron, C. (2015). FASD presentation. Presentation.
Healthy Child Manitoba. (2016). FASD.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/fasd/
Heidema, C. (2008, November 16). Prison is no solution for victims
of FASD; Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder sufferers face an
increased risk of incarceration. Times – Colonist. Retrieved from:
http://www.prisonjustice.ca/starkravenarticles/FASD_1108.html
National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (nd). Art and
Music. Retrieved from: http://www.nofas.org/art-and-music/
Rafferty-Bugher, E. and Brown, J. (2015). FASD and art therapy:
An exploratory review. Forensic Scholars Today, 3(1: FASD
Special Edition), 1-6. Retrieved from: http://online.csp.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2015/12/FST-1.3-FASD-and-Art-Therapy-AnExploratory-Review.pdf
Regina Community Clinic. (2013). FASD: Glossary of terms.
Accessed on January 18, 2016, from:
http://www.reginacommunityclinic.ca/rcc.html?pg=342&Section=3
&cd=0&
Thomson, G. (2010, August 21). More prisons won’t help those with
fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; Many repeat offenders suffer from
FASD but better programs needed. Edmonton Journal. Retrieved
from: http://fetalalcoholconference.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/07/More_prisons_wont_help_those_with_fetal
_alcohol_spectrum_disorder.pdf