What is FASD?
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual who was prenatally exposed to alcohol. These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with lifelong implications. FASD is not a diagnostic term used by clinicians. Instead it refers to the range of effects […]
FASD/Pre-natal Substance Exposure
Tips for Adopting or Fostering Children Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol or Other Drugs 1. Work with informed professionals in quality adoption agencies. 2. Explore your feelings about alcohol and drug abuse, particularly among pregnant women. 3. Discuss the child’s background with your social worker so that you have a realistic picture of the birth parents’ […]
FASD and RAD — “Cannot vs. Will Not”
by: Craig Peterson Early childhood trauma. Complex behaviors. The two often go hand in hand as parents and professionals will attest. Although they create enormous challenges for families, receiving an accurate mental health diagnosis for a child can be another challenge altogether. Connecting the dots isn’t always easy. When adopting my three first children – […]
Adoption & Trauma: Things are Better…but not yet Great
Reflecting on ATN’s 30th anniversary and my 16 years as Executive Director always leads me to the observation of how much has changed since the 1990s when it comes to our understanding of early childhood trauma, attachment disorders and what children and families need. Like many of my colleagues at ATN, I walked into this […]
New Reads for Fall/Winter 2025
It’s time to explore the MANY books out there…or almost out there…that you should be checking out this fall and winter. So grab one of these as a gift for the teacher, counselor or parent in your life…or for yourself, and curl up with these great trauma-informed, resilience-building reads. Available Now: Your FBA is a […]
May We Suggest for SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS
Do You work with Special Education Students? Here are some suggested workshops at the upcoming Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conference Academy Day: Reducing Educational Trauma and Improved Outcomes for Neurdivergent Students – Megan Ashburn 1B- Systemic Shifts in Inclusion: Neuroscience-Informed Practices for Transformation and Capacity Building – Angie Zara, MEd & Nicole Keler, MEd 2A – […]
Resource Directory Glossary
Welcome to the Glossary for our Resource Directory. Here we’ve tried to help clarify and de-mystify any jargon that it used in the field of attachment & trauma therapy, support and education, to help parents, caregivers and others understand any terms that are being used. Where possible, we’ve linked to more information on various modalities […]
Is the CTSS2019 Conference for Parents? No…and Yes!
Countless longtime members of ATN are parenting children severely impacted by early trauma. They may carry the painful memories of searching far and wide for trauma-informed resources, as do many who serve on ATN’s staff and board. Each year, members ask whether or not parents should attend ATN’s Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools (CTSS) Conference. The answer […]
20 Years after the Fetal Alcohol Diagnosis
–Craig Peterson Manager’s note: you can read the original post, along with many others, on Craig’s own blog at https://adoptingfaithafathersunconditionallove.org/ Craig also has a forthcoming memoir, Adopting Faith: A Father’s Unconditional Love, and you can follow his son Andrew’s story by clicking “Like” on his special Facebook page, Andrew Peterson Goes for the Gold Jan was a gem, a […]
Welcome back!
–Laura Dennis, blog manager Welcome back! These are exciting times at ATN! We apologize for the temporary absence of the blog. We have missed you, and hope you feel the same. Thankfully, we are back online and ready and raring to go! This week we are blessed to have Craig Peterson share a great piece on FASD, then later this […]