The clinics assess individuals of all ages but the majority are youngsters between the ages of 5 and 15. During an assessment, the family meets with a clinical team that includes a physician, an educational or clinical psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language pathologist and a family advocate. If necessary, professionals from other disciplines are also available for consultation. Each team member contributes his or her professional perspective to the assessment and to development of an individualized treatment plan of recommendations and referrals. Although FAS is a medical diagnosis, recommendations and referrals are rarely medical in nature, notes Astley.
Many referrals center on education-related issues.
These can range broadly, she explains, because there is such a wide variation in disabilities among individuals affected by prenatal alcohol exposure. Based on psychometric testing and a caregiver interview, we can begin to identify a particular child's disabilities and strengths and make recommendations accordingly. This protection may arise, in part, from a paradigm shift that often occurs at the time of diagnosis, says Astley. We commonly hear from parents that their ability to cope with the child's behavior changes dramatically when they understand that the problems are most likely based on organic brain damage, rather than the child's choice to be inattentive or uncooperative. In addition to diagnostic and referral services, the clinic at CHDD provides training for community service providers from all over the state and around the nation.