been there By Cathy-Dee

I had a year last year with one just like yours except he was not quite as limited as yours may be. But behaviour wise they can definitely be a handful. Please feel free to email me later in the year if you just need to share what's happening.

Meanwhile....

Yes facial features are often a give-away but not always. Some children may have some FAS tendancies but not to the same extreme as others. I know several children including one who was officially tested and diagnosed that did not have the typical facial features.

FAS testing is also not always easy to get done. Often doctors will not do it unless the mother has acknowledged she drank during her pregnancy.

Documenting is very important as often these children are not even aware of their own triggers. Some have great mornings but by mid afternoon you've lost them. Others are terrible in the mornings. By figuring out his patterns you might be able to help him learn to control some of the behaviours.

They often react poorly to too much stimulation - so having a quiet corner in your classroom that is partioned off may be a good way to give him some private space when he needs it. The aide could use that space off and on throughout the day.

Also have her plan mini-breaks about every 20 minutes - a walk down the hallway, a story, the computer, a game, playing with playdough or something manipulative. Often this works at keeping them less frustrated. You are so fortunate to have a 1:1 aide. I did not and I was very frustrated by the end of the year. Next year he is sharing an aide at least.

Consequences often do not mean anything so although you may have to give him consequences they may not help the behaviours. This is what makes working with these children much more frustrating especially in a classroom setting. And without parent support it is so hard to maintain any type of routine for the child.

Speaking of routines - they often react badly to a change in their routines. I always tried to prepare my student by giving him reminders that we would be doing something different.

I don't want to sound overly negative here. Although they are difficult children to work with, they do want to feel loved and accepted just like any other child. Gentle voices, structured settings and patience will often work wonders in them especially in their younger years. When you feel yourself getting frustrated, take a few moments to unwind. When I knew I couldn't take another moment I walked into the hallway or changed activities or once or twice I even called the office and asked for someone to come down so I could take a 2 minute walk outside just to relax. When I didn't and I showed my frustration it only served to "tell" my student that he had won that battle and then we were set back a few steps.

Good luck, you are already doing a lot by reading up on his condition and being prepared ahead of time.