Has anyone asked the question for violent perpetrators such as Son of Sam David Berkowitz, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahlmer and others who have captured the media attention as serial killers? I would bet we would be amazed at how many were fetally exposed to alcohol.
Wikipedia states (among other traits):
The element of fantasy in a serial killer's development is extremely important. They often begin fantasizing about murder during or even before adolescence. Their fantasy lives are very rich and they daydream compulsively about domination, submission, and murder, usually with very specific elements to the fantasy that will eventually be apparent in their real crimes.
Some serial killers display one or more of what are known as the "MacDonald triad" of warning signs in childhood. These are:
Fire starting, or arson invariably for the thrill of destroying things, for gaining attention, or for making the perpetrator feel more powerful.
Cruelty to animals (related to "zoosadism"). Many children may be cruel to animals, such as pulling the legs off spiders, but future serial killers often kill larger animals, like dogs and cats, and frequently for their solitary enjoyment rather than to impress peers.
Bed wetting beyond the age when children normally grow out of such behavior.
I think we would be utterly amazed at the impact of FASD. Only when society can see how it effects them on a day to day emotional basis, a financial basis, or in a personal way like paralyzing fear, will we truly have an impact on stopping this tragedy.
The greater community has not seen this as the reservations communities has. Bill Lawrence, editor of the Ojibwe News contacted me last year to gather information on FASD, as he saw the growing level of violence on the reservations and was looking for the root cause. His editorials on FASD were revealing, as he did his homework to find out more about the behaviors exhibited by FASD victims. He concluded, as I have, the violence on the reservations are a direct result of the brain damage of FASD. The elders on the reservations sit in fear of their lives while the bullets fly. The gangs own the streets and villages at night. Young kids are drawn or threatened into gangs. FASD kids become the gang enforcers and victims of gang violence, as they will act without caution due to the inability to connect an action to a consequence. Guns have become part of the action. Adrenalin feeds the action. Alcohol, the drug of choice, feed the action. So little attention is paid to the level of violence on the reservations due in part to the reservation's policies of limited or no access to information. The people on the reservations know how much impact FASD has in their lives, but most are unwilling to admit the problem due to the fact they contributed to the problem by drinking during their pregnancy or allowed their partner, daughter, or partner to drink during the pregnancy. The only ones who would talk to me about it were the grandmothers who are taking care of FASD grandchildren because the mothers had discarded the children, were in jail, or had lost custody because of their actions (most of the time because the mothers are FASD). Only once, after I wrote an article about FASD, did an American Indian mother talk to me about her child and the lifelong devastating effect her drinking during the pregnancy had on her child. Through all this, tribal leaders still refuse to see or state the truth. In fact, I have had tribal leaders go after me politically because I dared to state the obvious. I consider their attacks a badge of honor. I can't stand back and see this happening to innocent victims because some political figure wants to hide his head in the sand. We need to have the same aggressiveness when it comes to political actions at the state and federal level.
Reservations are a microcosm of what can happen in our society. Russia and mid-European countries are other windows into FASD impacts in society. Canada is further ahead of the USA in recognizing the impact of FASD. Wake up America. This is real!!!!!!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Our Profession
Service provider professional such as teachers, law enforcement, social workers, etc are reactive by profession. We react to behaviors, whether by a child or adult, with a practiced behavior technique designed to work for the normal brain. The normal brain can respond in a manner that meets the anticipated result of the technique. We are a long way from diagnosing the root cause of the behavior rather than reacting to a secondary observable behavior and assigning some prescriptive antidote for the behavior. With the FASD brain, the diagnostic methods need to be focused on the root cause of the behavior. We, as educators, are not trained to do that. Even when the root cause is explained, a typical educator will react with disbelief to the point of the detriment of the FASD child. "Yes, she has FASD, but she is acting willfully." or "Any child can learn that, even if he is FASD." Or, as I heard today from a principal, "What is FAS?"
Today I met with a mother who learned last week during our conversation her child was most likely FASD. We had talked about her child's behaviors and as a result of asking the question, she became aware the behaviors her child displayed were a result of her drinking before she knew she was pregnant. In the IEP meeting, the typical special education jargon was being used to describe the child's behaviors and what the school was going to do to assist this child. This was my first IEP meeting in this new school, so I was being careful with my input. After about 30 minutes, I asked the mother if I could speak about what we had discussed the previous week. She, in a relieved voice, said yes. I then broached the subject of FASD and what that meant for this child. This mother, who was the biological mother, became very animated and seemed so relieved that she finally had a reason for her child's behaviors. She had read all the material I had sent home with her the prior week. She asked for more and wanted to know where she could take her child for a proper diagnosis. She asked for more specific assessment to see her child had specific deficits. She wanted to know as much as she could about her child's needs. Contrary to what we may think, the mothers of FASD children, from my experience, are thankful to find out and are wanting to do what is right for their child, even if they were the ones who drank during the pregnancy. This mother will have a better chance of doing what is going to work for her child, now she knows. This mother will have a better chance of getting assistance from FASD organizations when it comes to meeting with service providers. This child will have a better chance now her mother knows and is willing to work with the school to meet the needs of her child.
I can't tell you the times other educators have told me not to ask the question of a mother. I can tell you I have never had a mother tell me she didn't drink during the pregnancy after I have asked the question. I can tell you every mother who has told me yes has asked for as much information I could get her regarding FASD. As educators we can not be wimps. We can not assume the mother will collapse with grief at finding out she was the cause of the brain damage. Maybe she will, but a child's life is at stake. When you know the devastating effects of FASD, we are remiss as educators, social workers, etc if we do not ask the question and deal with the answer.
Today I met with a mother who learned last week during our conversation her child was most likely FASD. We had talked about her child's behaviors and as a result of asking the question, she became aware the behaviors her child displayed were a result of her drinking before she knew she was pregnant. In the IEP meeting, the typical special education jargon was being used to describe the child's behaviors and what the school was going to do to assist this child. This was my first IEP meeting in this new school, so I was being careful with my input. After about 30 minutes, I asked the mother if I could speak about what we had discussed the previous week. She, in a relieved voice, said yes. I then broached the subject of FASD and what that meant for this child. This mother, who was the biological mother, became very animated and seemed so relieved that she finally had a reason for her child's behaviors. She had read all the material I had sent home with her the prior week. She asked for more and wanted to know where she could take her child for a proper diagnosis. She asked for more specific assessment to see her child had specific deficits. She wanted to know as much as she could about her child's needs. Contrary to what we may think, the mothers of FASD children, from my experience, are thankful to find out and are wanting to do what is right for their child, even if they were the ones who drank during the pregnancy. This mother will have a better chance of doing what is going to work for her child, now she knows. This mother will have a better chance of getting assistance from FASD organizations when it comes to meeting with service providers. This child will have a better chance now her mother knows and is willing to work with the school to meet the needs of her child.
I can't tell you the times other educators have told me not to ask the question of a mother. I can tell you I have never had a mother tell me she didn't drink during the pregnancy after I have asked the question. I can tell you every mother who has told me yes has asked for as much information I could get her regarding FASD. As educators we can not be wimps. We can not assume the mother will collapse with grief at finding out she was the cause of the brain damage. Maybe she will, but a child's life is at stake. When you know the devastating effects of FASD, we are remiss as educators, social workers, etc if we do not ask the question and deal with the answer.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
My Wellspring of Idealism
After a difficult two years in Idaho, I have returned to Minnesota to continue my career. Eighteen years in Indian Education has been both rewarding and challenging. I found a particularly difficult situation in Idaho that spiraled into chaos after I published an article in the Idaho State Journal entitled " A Fatal Link". This article was my thoughts, observations, and research on the link between FASD and violent incidents including school shootings.
One thing I have found on the reservations is the denial of the impact or existence of FASD. My observation suggests 60 to 70 percent of the students attending the tribal schools I have worked in are victims of FASD. The majority of those students are living with one biological parent, a grandparent, or an auntie. I have seen up to fourteen children under the age of 15 living with one grandmother, a woman so tired she could hardly function at work, let alone take care of fourteen disfunctional children. This household was the court authorized house of horrors for the younger children who were victims of the older perpetrators. All we could do at the school was to report.
Years of this had caused my wellspring of idealism to run dry. When I returned to Minnesota this June, I had to heal. I have started a new job in a healthy community and found the epidemic of FASD is prevalent there as well as on the reservations. Today, I opened my blog and read comments. I would like to thank Kari and Jo for opening up my wellspring again. I will continue writing. I will continue telling everyone so more eyes are opened. I also know that eyes need to be continually reminded to stay opened, because so quickly we forget if we are not continually reminded. I salute the parents who are so committed to their FASD children. To those parents, I say structure and support are so vital. I have seen the evidence of a lack of support and structure. Your children have a chance, the ones with no support or structure don't have a chance.
One thing I have found on the reservations is the denial of the impact or existence of FASD. My observation suggests 60 to 70 percent of the students attending the tribal schools I have worked in are victims of FASD. The majority of those students are living with one biological parent, a grandparent, or an auntie. I have seen up to fourteen children under the age of 15 living with one grandmother, a woman so tired she could hardly function at work, let alone take care of fourteen disfunctional children. This household was the court authorized house of horrors for the younger children who were victims of the older perpetrators. All we could do at the school was to report.
Years of this had caused my wellspring of idealism to run dry. When I returned to Minnesota this June, I had to heal. I have started a new job in a healthy community and found the epidemic of FASD is prevalent there as well as on the reservations. Today, I opened my blog and read comments. I would like to thank Kari and Jo for opening up my wellspring again. I will continue writing. I will continue telling everyone so more eyes are opened. I also know that eyes need to be continually reminded to stay opened, because so quickly we forget if we are not continually reminded. I salute the parents who are so committed to their FASD children. To those parents, I say structure and support are so vital. I have seen the evidence of a lack of support and structure. Your children have a chance, the ones with no support or structure don't have a chance.
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