Our FAScinating Journey: Keys to Brain Potential Along the Path of Prenatal Brain Injury
by Jodee Kulp

Susan Carlson, Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, February 2002
"Our FAScinating Journey provides a wealth of knowledge and practical experience for helping youth with prenatal brain injury."

Teresa Kellerman, Director, FAS community Resource Center, February 2002
"Parents and providers alike will enjoy this enlightening book."

Kenneth Dunning, MS, LMHC, February 2002
"An extremely valuable source of insight and intervention for anyone working with problems related to fetal alcohol exposure."

Book Description
Our FAScinating Journey will introduce readers to another winding path in working with prenatally exposed children. Jodee illuminates this path with lights that shine the hope of possibilities for these special kids. On your journey through these pages you will: • Discover creative approaches in reaching and loving children with attachment issues. • Understand how alcohol affects the growing brains of children. • Become familiar with brain terminology. • Uncover ideas to help a child nutritionally. • Wade through school and behavior issues with tears, laughter and strategies

you may not have tried. • Meet professionals who have helped the Kulp family help Liz grow. • Loose yourself in a myriad of ideas within the appendix. • Smile as you get to know Liz, a very real teen who is determined to be the best she can be inspite of FASD. Our FAScinating Journey: The Best We Can Be, Keys to Brain Potential Along the Path of Prenatal Brain Injury is written for families, professionals and the community. It’s goal is to open the door to possibilities for our citizens who have sustained brain injury due to toxins in the womb. While this is Liz Kulp’s story, our hope is to open doors for you and your child. We want to help your family become strong and united rather the divided and fall. We want to provide your child "a chance to grow!"

From the Publisher
In 1999, at age twelve, Liz was diagnosed with FAE - permanent neurological brain damage due to prenatal exposure to alcohol. For her family, it was the answer to many unanswered questions regarding her behavior and abilities. For Liz, it was an opportunity to began to learn to cope with her disability instead of believing she was "bad."

Liz takes you on her journey as a young teen through the murk and mire of misunderstandings and confusion. Through the distortions and discombobulation of living with a miswired brain and a compromised body in a covering of flesh that looks like nothing is wrong.

From the Author
Liz is my hero.

As Liz began to understand what Fetal Alcohol meant in her life, she considered the lives of others. "Let's make a difference, mom. Let's tell people and let them know about FAS/FAE so it stops happening to other kids." And so, we begin a new journey - hand-in-hand - opening dark places and letting in light. We cut away bramble and began to build pathways. As a family, we perservered to help Liz stive to become "The Best She Can Be!"

May the words that Liz allowed to flow from her heart, open your heart to a deeper understanding of the millions of prenatally exposed persons around the world.

Once Liz’s body was more balanced we moved on to increasing her short-term memory and auditory processing capabilities. We worked on normalizing her central nervous system – her reflexes and sensory nerves. We went back to fetal and early child development. When she no longer dealt with over-stimulation and disruptive chaos, we added visual processing. We focused on developing learning processes before we tackled academics. With that groundwork in place, we utilized the information gained by her qEEG (brainwave data) for accessing additional learning and neurological balance through neurofeedback (brain training, focus and concentration), neurodevelopment (nerve and central nervous system training), physical education (recreation, sequencing and motor planning), social skills (life experiences, emotionality) and academics (ways of learning, learning styles). We developed a brain-friendly learning environment for Liz – a brain training camp. We learned to empower her brain before we expected performance. We kept our environment and structure stable. Our school day began at 8:30 am and ended at noon. We focused on life skills: communication, socialization, recreation and productivity. We continued with school through the summer by shortening the academic day to one hour plus therapy and increasing structured socialization and recreation. Like a revolving spiral we continued to layer tiny piece upon tiny piece, trying to follow a developmental sequential pattern.

We asked questions and found answers. We asked questions that still have no answers. We laughed and played and danced and sang. We jumped and stomped and screamed and cried. We tried and failed. We tried and succeeded. Liz’s antics had opened the hearts and minds of the public to the realities of prenatal exposure to alcohol. She was now a role model and hero, and though she held the title, Liz still struggled daily with the results of having been exposed to alcohol as a tiny developing human being. Liz’s book had been printed three times. She had received letters from around the world thanking her for writing The Best I Can Be: Living with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Effects written when she was thirteen-years-old. Her book’s success triggered this book to further help families and professionals. Liz was honored as the Adopted Child of the Year by the Minnesota Foster Care Association and she received her Girl Scout Silver Award for her FASD efforts. She passed out hundreds of FASknots on International FASday and shared that she had FAE with the unsuspecting public. She joined me in speaking and attending adult FASD meetings. She asked and was accepted as an advisory board member for the 4-State FAS Consortium. Liz, Dave and I had traveled to New York City to encourage pregnant moms not to drink via national television. FASD young people had been encouraged. Parents had new ideas and hope for their children. Liz’s sincere girlfriends embraced her FASD issues and she performed with them in her hip-hop & rap group mo’Angels. She had received the Tiger Woods Target Start Something Scholarship to further FASD public relations efforts. We no longer felt alone in the middle of this FASlane. We had met FASD families on the internet from around the world. Each had allowed our family a better perspective on FASD. We could now penetrate the murk and understand the reality of parenting Liz. Because of online support, we were given a reality-based perspective to which we could add our love, experience, education, and tenacity. Because of that Liz, at age 15, had a chance most other kids with prenatal brain damage haven’t had.

We have been asked what made the difference for Liz? Was there a sequential order that could be duplicated? Karl, Liz and I cannot give you answers for the person you love with prenatal brain injury. Every person is different. We can, however, share with you our journey. It is a journey of hope.