FAS: Acting Before Thinking
A child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is much like that of an intoxicated person.
Alcohol shuts down the left side of the brain…it falls asleep and no longer functions as it should. Remember the last time you drank heavily? You lost your motor control, impulse, memory, self control, coordination, and judgment. I am sure you knew the rules you wanted to break but you did them anyway. I am sure you saw the curb you fell over but you did it anyway.
Now, imagine you don’t have that left side of your brain ALL the time. You know the rules but your impulses say to break them. You act and THEN realize that you were not suppose to do it.
The “do’s and don’ts” are sitting there in the left brain, but when that impulse hits the right brain, a child with FAS acts first, and processes the information later, information that is there but cannot be accessed in time to prevent disaster.
Medication does help…
What medications help? Our son has been diagnosed as bipolar, but I am leaning towards FAS more. He is currently on bipolar medication and it really doesn’t seem to work like the doctor says it should.
Kim,
He takes clonidine for sleep and he takes Risperdal for his aggression and mood swings. The Risperdal is an anti-psychotic that also helps children with Bi-Polar like issues and has done wonders for AJ (who also lhas symptoms of Bi-Polar).
Here is a link to a site for you.
http://www.come-over.to/FAS/meds.htm
All kids react differently to meds too, so talk with your doctor. But, I have heard a lot of people have success with the same combination we use.
4adoptfasd@yahoogroups.com is a fabulous group to get into if you are not already.