Work requirements for individuals with FASD, in the time of Covid-19

1. Work requirements for individuals with FASD, in the time of Covid-19 In this time of Covid- 19, issues that those with FASD face are more pressing than ever: one is work, and the need to have an income. Our son was diagnosed at 20, and is now 44. He has agreed for me to place this on the

2. internet: the first time I have done so. Because John is intelligent and articulate, and we were ignorant of FASD, we had the highest of expectations of him. These expectations were challenged time and time again, much to our frustration, and on my part- anger. How much better life would have been had we had an early diagnosis, with explanations for the difficulties involved.

3. Society sees individuals with FASD as lazy, while the truth is they want to work. So often they give up after many attempts, having dealt with ignorance and hostility. In the first ten years of leaving school John had twenty jobs. To this day he has desperately wanted to work and not rely on us for support. This was frequently the case for the families I saw in my practice, leading me to come to some

4. guidelines regarding job requirements for those with FASD. Unexpected changes or interruptions should be avoided: the emphasis on unexpected. If certain changes or interruptions are an expected part of the job then they may be tolerated to a degree. In this case sudden demands to work overtime can be stressful, with varying reactions.

5. Depending on sleep patterns, night work may be more suitable. Team work, defined as being a cog in a wheel made up of a number of coworkers does not work for those with FASD. They can certainly work with others around, providing the others are not disruptive, which brings us to the work environment. Finding the right work environment restricts choices,

6. according to the individual’s particular sensory disabilities. So, the individual needs to understand these disabilities, and the environment that they are applying to work in. For most it is a heart breaking process of trial and error. Only having to report/answer to one person is crucial: someone who is understanding and can relay information to the individual with FASD in a way

7. they can understand, e.g. visual rather than verbal. As I saw it, this latter principle was the one John had the most difficulty resolving. One great attribute John has is being a good driver. So, after many brief jobs, John eventually found tow truck driving. Tow truck driving satisfied these work principles, except for the latter, which is why he worked for a number of tow truck companies.

8. Unfortunately he injured his back and had to give it up. The next occupation was Uber driving. This is the ideal work for those with FASD who can drive, have sense of local geography, and have a suitable vehicle, requirements that I understand not all individuals with fasd will have. But, once more, circumstances beyond his control intervened- the Covid-19 virus.

9. Never giving up, John has found a way to utilize his talents and provide some income. He has created a web page [www.beseenimaging.ca] and prints logos on t-shirts etc. The work principles are met. I have posted this hoping it will provide encouragement in these Covid-19 times. While not all individuals with FASD will be able to be a tow truck driver, the work principles will always apply.