Childhood trauma in the classroom: 10 things teachers need to know
For children who have experienced trauma, learning can be a big struggle. Here’s how to help them. With grief, sadness is obvious. With trauma, the symptoms can go largely unrecognized because it shows up looking like other problems: frustration, acting out, or difficulty concentrating, following directions or working in a group. Often students are misdiagnosed […]
Children and unresolved grief: Signs and treatment
Shanna is 14 years old. She’s a lovely young woman with dark hair and a bright smile. While she has a friendly manner and is comfortable conversing with adults, it’s clear that something is bothering her. It’s not so much what she says, as her body language and level of distractibility. Shanna lives in a home with […]
Q&A with the Asante Centre: FASD and adoption
Allison Pooley is the Program Director at the Asante Centre. She assists individuals, family members, and service providers in understanding the diagnostic process as well as the implications for providing integrated post-assessment supports and services. Allison has been involved in FASD prevention and intervention efforts for numerous years both in northern B.C. and the Lower Mainland, […]
FASD and epigenetics
In this instalment of Q&A, we talk with Western University (Ontario) researcher Ben Laufer about the latest science on FASD and how it influences our genetics. What is epigenetics? Traditionally, science has told us that children are the sum of their parents’ genetics. Recently, though, we’ve discovered that it’s actually much more complicated. Just think […]
Ask the Expert: Jan Radford
Jan Radford is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years of experience working with children as a clinician, administrator, researcher and educator. She worked with substance-exposed infants and children for many years as a Clinical Nurse Specialist at Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children and in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. In her recent “semi-retirement” she has […]
The importance of attachment in adoption
The adoptions of children from overseas orphanages, especially of children who are beyond the infancy period, are often considered to be “special needs” adoptions. The same can be said of adoptions of children who have a history of foster care. A common concern for both of these groups of children is that they may suffer […]
Ask the expert: When parenting gets tough
“Two years ago we adopted a child of six. We have found parenting him far more difficult than we ever expected, or were prepared for. He has not really settled down and we find his behaviour very demanding. My husband and I are in despair. We don’t know what to do or where to turn.” […]
Parents or children: Whose job is it to change?
I was presenting at a workshop recently and mentioned, in an off-hand way, that I wondered what surprises we would find with our next adoption. A woman in the front row shot up her hand (front row people are like that). “What do you mean your next adoption? You already have nine children. Why would […]
What it’s like to live with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
This information applies to any individual who is functionally dependent on others in some specific areas, and who does not learn from correction, or who does not “get” why people are distressed with their behavior. Parents, teachers and support persons of individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are sometimes faced with episodes of extreme […]
When forever comes
“Imagine being married to someone for eight years, and then being told that you have to get a divorce and some stranger will choose your new spouse. Then imagine moving in with that person after only knowing them for a little while. What if they don’t like you, or you don’t like them — what […]
Solutions in strengths
Taking a child’s strengths as the starting point to solving their problems, and involving family and community, can work wonders. Chris Mundy sees his job as a combination of detective and anthropologist. After our interview, it’s easy to see why. As a behaviour consultant with CBI Consultants of Burnaby, Chris spends his days immersing himself in […]
Family matters: Siblings
Struggling with a child who is polarizing your family and highlighting adoption differences? Learn practical strategies to address insecurity and foster family unity, while celebrating each member’s unique qualities. Question: How should I handle a child who is polarizing our family? The child has a great deal of influence with his siblings and constantly highlights […]
