This morning’s newsfeed…

Deep sigh…

This morning an article showed up in my newsfeed How to stay sane & survive fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.  Wow, who came in to my house & read my mind & wrote this article? 

Some of the challenges in dealing with the severe meltdowns that we have here center around #1 my fear of her hurting someone else or herself so I step in & intervene & things escalate.

#2 when the meltdowns, poor behavior, language happen around other people who then in turn will either try to “help” me with her or I begin to feel like I should be doing something more or different than what I am to make sure that this behavior stops.

Did this  yesterday.  Twice. Family vacation is ahead, I know it’s going to be difficult. 

When you look at Kiahna without much knowledge of FASD, Autism, SPD or ADHD… all you can see is a spoiled, mouthy brat.  She should be “disciplined” she “shouldn’t be getting away with this” she “is a product of being raised by a single mom” she “just needs a good strong father figure to discipline her” she “needs a spanking”…

Well, some days I fall into that line of thinking.  Those are the really bad days.  The days that nothing gets better & things just get worse & worse.

Understanding that there is a disconnect between “cause” & “effect”… that the same lessons must be learned over & over & over again.  That the level of maturity of her brain is not that of someone who is almost 8, but more in line of her 3 year old cousin.

If you didn’t link over to the article I mentioned in the beginning, here is a photo from that article, that maybe you have or haven’t seen…

Absolutely heart breaking.

I like how Jeff says he has a copy of this photo in his wallet to take out & look at to remind him.

Part of me really still struggles to believe that my beautiful little girl really has this kind of life long disability.

But her growing behavior issues…okay, maybe they aren’t really growing, but maybe the fact that she is growing & the behaviors are just looking more & more awkward because the “average 8  year old” would not act that way.

I really have no idea what I am doing or how we are going to get through this.  I can’t tell you how.

Our needs are much prayer support.  Physical support if it can be done with a knowledge of FAS & it’s buddies.  Emotional support.  Respite.  Education for all of us.  Wisdom.  Protection for all of us. And more prayer.

Pam