In my paper I chose two interviewees that are well-informed
in the
areas of prenatal alcohol and substance abuse. They both have vast
knowledge in the areas of
the effects on fetuses, young children and their
parents in FASD and substance abuse. They possess intricate relational
knowledge
of the biases and affiliation of families and their culture. They
shared triumphs and struggles that they
experienced in working with young
children and their families. Each interviewee provided a brief biography
of
their work and experience.
During the interview process I was intrigued by the wealth of
knowledge possessed by these interesting women. They were both '
excellent conversationalist and shared their knowledge willingly. They
shared their experiences and interactions with various families of FASD
children.
My
first interviewee is Dr. Claire D. Coles.
Dr. Coles is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and
Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. She is the Director of the Maternal Substance
Abuse and Child Development Laboratory and of the Emory Neurobehavioral and
Exposure Clinics (ENEC) in the Division of Child Adolescent and Young Adult
Psychiatry. Her clinic located at Emory
Hospital provides specialized services to individuals prenatally exposed to
drugs and alcohol. It serves more than 300 new patients a year, providing
differential diagnosis and behavior evaluation, referral, psychotherapy and
educational services. In the addition to training of professionals in the care
of alcohol and drug affected children, the Center initiated Clinical Research to design and improve
interventions for affected individuals and their families, including the MILE (Math Interactive Learning
Experience) program and the GoFAR intervention that supports self –regulation
and adaptive functioning for children 3
to 9 years.
Dr.
Coles has over thirty years of experience in research on the developmental and
behavioral effects of prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol and on the
interaction of these effects with the postnatal environment began in 1980 and
was among the first to describe many behavioral effects of prenatal alcohol
exposure in infants, young children and adolescents as well as the effects on
brain in young adults. Dr. Coles work has received national and international
attention through the publication of numerous articles and books on these
topics. In addition, Dr. Coles has served on a number of National Committees
and Advisory Boards addressing the problems of families affected by FASD. These
have included the Institute of
Medicine’s Committee on FAS , the National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), the FAS Work Group, Office of Special Education Programs,
U.S. Department of Education, the . She
has been a consultant to the University of California at San Diego, the
Research Institute on Addictions, Buffalo, NY, Case Western Reserve University,
Cleveland, Ohio, Howard University School of Medicine, Washington, DC and the
Moscow (Russia) Health District. Dr.
Coles is the mother of two adult children and has three grandsons and one
granddaughter.
They
second interviewee is Allison Peters-Whittles.
Ms. Peters-Whittles is Chief Executive Officer of Leslie Care Inc. Ms. Peters-Whittles has a Master’s in Social
Work from . Her work history involves
working for the state of New York as a Social Worker. There she received extensive knowledge and
experience with children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. She worked with children and parents to
improve families and assist in the procuring of services to assist with
children with FAS. Ms. Peters-Whittle
also is a foster parent to two children with FAS. She has extensive knowledge in the struggles
and successes in dealing with the difficulites of issues surrounding her foster
children’s disabilities.
Ms.
Peters-Whittles operates Leslie Care Inc. where she offers advice and workshops
on the integrations of techniques to improve the life skills of children with
FAS. She promotes social change
empowerment for the families of children with FAS.
These are questions will delve into the professional views, thoughts,
and outlooks of the interviewees. The questions were created to develop a
deeper understanding of the needs, political ramifications, successes in the
field.
Interview Questions
1.
How has the
dynamics of society impacted how you approach the handling and treatment of
children with FASD?
2.
What are some of the positives that you have
experienced and that you have influenced in your career?
3.
What would you say is the single most important factor
that affects parents the most with their FASD child?
4.
If you could, what would be the type of legislation
that would most help communities, parents, and children with FASD?
5.
How has your views changed as far as how the education
of FASD children and what could be done right now to improve the education of
these children?
