Caring for a child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome:
Caring with for a child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is very difficult, and often times stressful. With the lack of development in the brain they act differently than other children, and have more needs, physically and mentally. One part of my project was to go on a field observation, I thought it would be a great learning experience for me to see the behaviors and learn how hard it can be to take care of a child with FAS. For my field observation I went to Children's Respite Care Center. Children's Respite Care Center is a daycare for children with physical and mental disabilities. This was a great place to do this field observation, they are very welcoming of visitors and volunteers. Due to client confidentiality I can not release the name of the client I followed. He is an eight year old boy with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. When we first met he was very shy, he didn't say much he was quiet until he got to know me. Even when he did, he didn't say much, just simple terms. As an example if he wanted a book he would say "book" and point at it or run and get it. He also enjoyed pretending he is a cat, he would meow at his teachers. The child has the common facial characteristics of a child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, he has epicanthal folds, flat miaface, and a short nose(Description of the facial appearance in Characteristics of FAS). The daily classroom procedure is snack, activity time, library, recess, free time. When it was finally free time most clients were being picked up by their parents. While describing him throughout this page I will reference him as "Bob".
- Activity time: The activity was to color a picture of a turkey. When Bob was coloring the picture, he would scribble all over then look around, and scribble again. He did not color in the lines at all, he did not try to focus on the paper at all. He chose to only use 3 colors, orange, red, green. This shows it is hard for children with FAS to concentrate on something for a long period of time. He would only color for a minute at a time, at the most.
- Library time: He was upset about going to the library, he put up a fight. He sat in a corner until finally when we walked away he stood up and followed. When we got into the library he sat on the floor, I grabbed the book Green Eggs and Ham by: Dr. Suess, he sat and listened to me and read the book. By the time I had finished reading the book he was messing with anything he could get his hands on. He grabbed a book on the floor and was flipping through the pages. He wanted to stand up and walk away, but I kept asking to stay and listen to my book. When we were finished in the library he didn't help put the books away. He got in line right when the teachers asked him to line up with the rest of the class. He was excited to go outside and swing.
- Recess: His favorite thing to do was swing. As soon as we got outside he ran right for the swing. He loved being on the swing. But when his turn was over he would not want to get off. I told him I would race him to the slide and down it, I kept saying it over and over again. Finally he ran over to the slide and told me to go down. He went down it two more times then went back over to the swing. He never really talked, he said a few things, like swing and slide. Someone was on the swing when he went to it again. He didn't want to wait in line to get on the swing, so he ran for the door to go back inside. The teachers in the classroom chased him to the door then asked to go down the slide then he could line up to go inside. Following the teachers instructions is difficult for him, I feel as if when he would have behaviors the more the teachers talked to him the more he got upset. When things don't go their way, they tend to get violent. So when he would start to get violent they would just ignore him and he would calm down.