- Present the child with information that is simple and concrete.
- Show the child, doing the activity with the child.
- Use visual cues along with verbal cues (symbols, signs, charts)
- Teach one skill at a time, one step at a time.
- Hands on activity, sensory and tactile (water paint, play dough)
- Encourage exploration and creativity
- Include nature and real life experiences
- Music, rhymes (clapping, tapping, singing)
- Play matching games
- Less distractions, quiet environment (make cubby out of big box)
- One-on-one with eye contact
- Avoid flourescent lighting or visually stimulating environment
- Freedom to move about without having to sit still
- Cheerful reinforcement (verbal encouragement)
- Frame work visually (place worksheet on a food tray or outline work area with tape)
- Appropriate and effective medication (ADHD meds like Adderall and Ritalin)
- Avoid additives in your child's diet (no MSG, food coloring, nutrisweet)
- Read to your child each day
- Repetition, repetition, repetition
- Practice, practice, practice
- If it's an "off" day, don't pressure the child, wait for a better day.
- Research shows that all children learn more easily if the lesson is fun and stress-free.
John remembers things that are associated with strong emotions (joy, excitement, fear, etc.) This is true of most people, but even more of children with FAS disorders.
There may be limits to what level of learning they can achieve in certain subjects, especially math. John could learn his multiplication tables through 7, but he forgot them the following session. To this day, he cannot remember what 2 X 4 is. They may reach a plataeau in math or reading and not be able to progress beyond that point. When helping a child with FASD learn something, we first need to do an assessment to see where he/she is functioning and start there, not at age level or grade level, but at the developmental level for that child at that time.
Once we get the child to remember (routines, rules, lessons, etc.), we must still consider two things that we cannot teach the child: impulse control and good judgment. Also, once they learn something and it is in their head, they may or may not be able to retrieve it on any given day, and one day they might remember and another day they might not, all depending on neurological function at the moment. Meds can help reduce problems with impulse control, but not all the time. The child cannot learn good judgment, that is something that cannot be corrected as it is directly due to permanent brain damage, mostly the frontal lobes.
Memory processing is a neurological function that does not work well in children with FAS disorders. There may be limits to how well the child can process information. It is important to recognize and accept these limits so as not to burden the child with unnecessary frustration and stress. Find an activity or subject that the child enjoys, find a mode of expression for which the child has some talent (drawing, singing, painting, playing music, etc.) and encourage the child to learn new ways to express the talent that are pleasant and comfortable for the child. Music is one of the best ways to enhance memory for the child with FASD and everyone will enjoy the lesson!
One added reminder: The number one way that a child with FASD learns is by imitating the behaviors or actions of others. Healthy role models, at home and at school, are extremely important for our kids. Every experience we have with a child can be a learning experience. What will your child remember about his/her experience with you?