Middle school student Sebastian Gould appeared before the Central Okanagan Board of Education last Wednesday to shine a light on the struggles and victories he experiences daily as a student diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

Sebastien, a Grade 6 student at Constable Neil Bruce Middle School, talked about how the learning pathway for students with FASD is different from other students and often get misunderstood, from short-term memory loss to acts of aggression.

His appearance came in the aftermath of a CUPE Professional Development Day, which also included Central Okanagan Teachers Association members, held Feb. 16 which addressed issues faced by FASD students and how school district staff can respond to those challenges.

Sebastien was joined for his presentation by his mom Lisa were joined in the presentation by Michelle Kaupp, Central Okanagan Public Schools district principal 香蕉视频直播� inclusive education, and Cori Christensen, inclusive education consultant.

During the professional development day, Sebastian had an opportunity to interact with the keynote speaker Myles Himmelreich, someone who still struggles with FASD symptoms as an adult and has become a motivational speaker, helping others to better understand the disability.

He cited his three noteworthy takeaways from the conference were reinforcement that he can 香蕉视频直播済et to the same place as others even if I have to do things differently to get there;香蕉视频直播� listening and learning from the shared experiences Himmelreich talked about in his life; and 香蕉视频直播渢o share the advantages that work and disadvantages that don香蕉视频直播檛 work for kids with FASD.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚f I had one wish, it is that FASD people stay strong and brave. Never give up and try our best every day,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Jon Rever, Central Okanagan Public Schools assistant superintendent, cited Sebastien香蕉视频直播檚 leadership in appearing before school trustees to help teach adults about FASD and for him to use his voice and influence as a student to help others 香蕉视频直播渋s just amazing.香蕉视频直播�

Trustee Valene Johnson touched on that same theme, telling Sebastien that speaking up about his life story is not only helping him, but also 香蕉视频直播渉elping everyone around you香蕉视频直播� in the process.

While the symptoms and learning challenges of autistic children has become better understood, FASD still remains largely misunderstood despite its prevalence being four per cent higher among students than autism.

In a past interview with the Coastal News, Himmelreich talked of the need to normalize the conversation around FASD.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 so much stigma and shame and blame around FASD. There香蕉视频直播檚 no reason we should be afraid or scared to talk about it,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Himmelreich has known he was living with FASD his whole life, but he didn香蕉视频直播檛 actually start to understand it until he started going to conferences, learning about it and being able to connect it to his own experience.

香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 fully understand the exact differences between myself and other kids,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淏ut I do remember in elementary school, probably about Grade 5 is where I started thinking that I acted weird and different than the other kids and I didn香蕉视频直播檛 understand why.

香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 know why I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 control the way I acted. I just did it, and then right after I did it, I would be like, 香蕉视频直播榃hy did I do that? Why would I act that way?香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

He explained that most individuals affected by FASD are not diagnosed until adolescence or adulthood, if at all.

Often the diagnosis only comes whey a child香蕉视频直播檚 behaviour leads to various testing, and FASD is often referred to as an 香蕉视频直播渋nvisible香蕉视频直播� disability for this reason, but Himmelreich doesn香蕉视频直播檛 see it this way.

香蕉视频直播淩egardless of whether or not a person presents any physical signs of the disability, we can see FASD once we know what we香蕉视频直播檙e actually looking for,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淔ASD can incorporate processing issues, sensory issues, cause and effect, struggles with concrete and abstract, and chronological versus developmental age. We can see those things, but unfortunately society will see many of these things as bad behaviour and jump straight to punishment.香蕉视频直播�