NOFASD knows that if you are involved in caring for someone who has FASD you can never have too many resources to assist you with this journey!
As FASD is a spectrum-based disorder, it presents in a multitude of ways and no two individuals with FASD are likely to present with exactly the same combination of behaviours and challenges, and also, not to forget, strengths. Every individual will have strengths, the key is discovering these. As the saying goes ‘If you know one person with FASD, you know ONE person with FASD”.
Carers need to navigate the requirements of the loved one they care for with patience, sensitivity and understanding as they apply their knowledge of this disability and their loved one to achieve the best possible outcomes for all involved. It is no wonder that being a caregiver can often be an exhausting task!
Dorothy Badry, PhD, RSW and Jamie Hickey, MSW, RSW both of the CanFASD Research Network have written an excellent resource guide for those who are caring for someone who has FASD: “I am a Caregiver for a person with FASD”.
This booklet covers key information that will be helpful for all caregivers and lists strategies and tips that can assist in some of the areas that are common problems for those with FASD. Caregivers may have to try several different strategies to find the one that is the right ‘fit’ for their loved one, but having the right strategies and structures in place will foster success and make an enormous difference to the quality of family life.
Some of the topics covered in this booklet include:
- Sensory issues
- The importance of sleep
- Establishing routines
- Eating and FASD
- Building on strengths
- Getting ahead of challenges
