Guided Growth

Book excerpt: One of the greatest challenges teachers and parents face today is the increasing number of children who do not respond to traditional instructions and classroom management techniques. Chief among the children who present such a challenge are those who were prenatally exposed to alcohol and illicit drugs. In the past twenty years, we have learned more and more about these children and the lives of chaos and daily change many of them face. The difficulty has been translating this growing body of knowledge into practical information teachers can use in the classroom and parents can use at home.But there is good news. We now have research-based information that can guide schools and families in their efforts to address the needs of prenatally exposed children by developing appropriate interventions for behavioral and learning problems. Guided Growth incorporates the latest research-based information into a guide designed for teachers, parents, physicians, psychologists - for anyone who works with children. We recognize that in many (if not most) cases, you will not even know the child was exposed to alcohol or drugs before birth. But the strategies we propose are appropriate for any child whose behavioral difficulties do not respond to standard interventions.