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Professionals without Parachutes: Building Communities of Practice to Support Students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Jacqueline Pei, Ph.D., R.Psych. Department of Educational Psychology University of Alberta Tracy Mastrangelo Program Coordinator Wellness, Resiliency and Partnerships
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Today’s agenda Welcome and Introductions Invitation to collaborate. Small Group Discussions: What have been your experiences? Break “FASD and the Brain” Lunch Small Group Discussions: Applying a new lens: Revisiting our experiences. Wrap-Up Summarizing a new approach and establishing steps for action, reflection, and communication. Exit Pass
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Today’s goals Building a shared understanding. What have been your experiences? Challenges? What is FASD? Establishing a process based understanding. Re-examining our challenges through our new shared understanding How can we apply a new process based approach to support the needs of students with FASD?
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Goals moving forward... Have the opportunity to continue to apply a process based approach using the “ARC” framework Build a relevant and meaningful community of practice to support your work with students with FASD Contribute to our understanding of how to intervene with students with FASD by sharing successes and hurdles
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A new approach to professional learning: Professionals without Parachutes
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Let’s talk! What have been your experiences? What are your biggest/most difficult challenges when supporting individuals with FASD? In your groups, please discuss your challenges and use the flipchart to list and rank order top 3 (approximately 45 minutes). One spokesperson per group to report back, please list all names on your flipchart paper
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Beginning with a shared understanding: FASD and the Brain
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What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)? Brain injury to the developing brain Caused by alcohol exposure in utero May look different in different individuals A “consistent pattern of inconsistencies”
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How is FASD diagnosed? Three considerations: Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Facial Dysmorphology Brain Impairment
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The impact of alcohol Brain injury: Language Memory Adaptive function and social communication Academics Executive functions Attention Intelligence Motor functioning Affect Regulation
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The impact of alcohol On developing structures On the processes of functioning On emotional regulation
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Alcohol is a teratogen - it kills brain cells during development (diagram courtesy Wendy Comeau)
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Developing Structures Structures and function are affected at a basic level of development
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Developing Structures Is scattered The developing brain: a complex process of cell growth, division, migration, differentiation, and so on.
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Developing Structures That said, the impact is compounded at higher levels of brain development Reptilian brain – basic survival and self- defense Limbic brain – processing emotions, critical to learning and memory Neo-cortex – synthesis and complex thought
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Developing Structures
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From Structure to Processes of Function What does the FASD brain look like?
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12 year old Male Control IQ 130 98 th percentile for reading 12 year old Male FASD IQ 74 1 st percentile for reading White matter Grey matter Looks the same even though we know the child with FASD is clearly impaired
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OK Not OK Lebel et al 2008 ACER White matter microstructure
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Emotional Regulation We know: Adverse early life experiences sensitize or prime the stress system → Hyper-reactivity to subsequent, even mild, stressful life events. Repeated stress over the life course will ultimately result in a maladaptive cascade of neurobiological events → increased vulnerability to illnesses, including to depression, anxiety and substance use disorders (Weinberg 2012)
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Emotional Regulation We also know: Stress, per se, does not cause mental health problems Pre-existing HPA abnormalities may be a major contributory factor to some forms of depression, anxiety and substance use disorders (Weinberg 2012)
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Emotional Regulation in FASD
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In summary: The impact of alcohol There is clear evidence of brain injury due to alcohol that is diffuse and impacts many different systems This injury has a significant impact on day to day function Therefore, FASD may often be an invisible disability … …yet has very visible consequences
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Adverse outcomes may include: Streissguth et al. (1996) longitudinal study Measured secondary disabilities among 415 individuals (6-51 years old) with FASD. More than 90% had mental health problems Other secondary disabilities: inappropriate sexual behaviors, disrupted school experience, trouble with the law, alcohol and drug problems
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Let’s talk! Applying a new lens. In your groups, please return to your list of challenges and discuss: What are the possible root causes? What is the underlying function of the behaviour? What are alternative explanations for theses challenges? Use the flipchart to brainstorm your answers (approximately 45 minutes). One spokesperson per group to report back.
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Moving Forward… We may see an uneven pattern of performance that varies between individuals: FASD is a complex disorder with multiple influences, at bio psychosocial levels of function So how do we respond to this variation? Move from a script to improvisation based on understanding of underlying brain and resulting behaviour That said some structure can still guide our improvisation
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ARC model of practice R eflection C ommunication A ction
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Goals moving forward... Have the opportunity to continue to apply a process based approach using the “ARC” framework Build a relevant and meaningful community of practice to support your work with students with FASD Contribute to our understanding of how to intervene with students with FASD by sharing successes and hurdles
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Next steps: Build an action plan to support your community of practice Who will be a part of your community? How will you meet? Please plan to interact at least 3 times between now and our next workshop day in May Do you have a WRaP success coach to help facilitate your community? What are your personal goals? How will you be intentional and what actions will you take between now and our next meeting?
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Take time to take care of YOU!
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Contact Information Jacqueline Pei, Ph.D., R.Psych. Departments of Educational Psychology and Pediatrics University of Alberta Email: jpei@ualberta.cajpei@ualberta.ca Tracy Mastrangelo Program Coordinator WRaP Program Email: tmastrangelo@gsacrd.ab.catmastrangelo@gsacrd.ab.ca Website: www.wrapschools.cawww.wrapschools.ca Resources: www.engagingalllearners.cawww.engagingalllearners.ca
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