Big commitment fosters

ily’s success stories

Couple seek little victories in special-care babies

LINDA PRUDEN likes to have a baby in the house. With
three grown children, she found herself, a year ago, with
time on her hands and a desire to help others.

““’m a home person. I wanted
to stay home and do something
usefui,’’ she recalls.

Her 26-year-old son, Kirk, lives
at home; her two daughters are
married.

An advertisement for
parents triggered her interest.

There are over 3,000 foster
families in B.C.

They provide temporary care
for children who are unable to live
with their families. The goal is to
return children to their parents
whenever possible.

When Linda mentioned foster-
ing babies to husband Allan, he
readily agreed.

“The Prudens have chosen to
foster babies that have neonatal
abstinence syndrome (NAS).
Babies with NAS are born ad-
dicted to drugs and, often,
alcohol.

At birth the babies are forced
into withdrawal, and the mothers
are often too ill to care for them.

Pruden vividly recalls the day in
spring 1991 when she and her
husband picked up their first baby
from Sunny Hill Hnspital for
Chiidren.

“She iooked terrified, and she
cried frantically for the first
week," said Linda.

The couple had been through
the six-week foster parent orienta-
tion program, and Linda attended
a course specializing in babies
with NAS.

**These babies don't react like
norma! babies who get stimulated,
play themselves out, then sleep. A
baby with NAS just gets more and
more hyper,’* said Pruden.

Their first baby was three
months old when she came tc the

foster

 DUNGAR 30th © CUNDARAVE, WEST VANCOUVER
° {YN VALLEY CENTRE, .

By Judi Lees
Contributing Writer

Prudens; it had taken the expert
staff at Sunny Hill Hospital this
long to stabilize her.

She was a poor eater which
meant feedings every three hours,
and it often took an hour to feed
her.

Allan Pruden, who is an ap-
plications engineer at a North
Vancouver computer controls
firm, took his turn giving night
feedings.

While the physical side of car-
ing for babies with NAS can be

exhausting, Linda talks more
about the emotional aspect.
“In the beginning, you can't

comfort them. You just look after
their bedily needs. You can’t
cuddle them because it over-
stimulates them.

“It is imperative that a baby
bonds with someone during the
first year, and J] work hardest at
this.’”

She adds that they usually
won’t make eye contact and they
must be kept on a strict schedule.

These babies may go rigid and
arch their bodies when bothered
by things such as noise or
sunlight.

When the Prudens decided to
care for babies with NAS, Linda
went on a quest for information.

She said that Sunny Hill Hospi-
tai, where the babies are cared for
under the guidance of Dr. Sydney
Segai, is the best source of that
information.

Linda, who has attended several
international NAS seminars, said
the research is ongoing and still

DCLLAR SHOPRNG CENTRE, DEEP COVE

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NORTH VANCOUVER

very new.

There are many unknowns. For
example, experts can’t always
determine which drugs were taken
by the mother and how much the
baby has been affected.

To date, it is unknown how
these children will react and what
problems they will have as they
grow up. The oldest test group of
children with NAS is now seven.

Linda feels strongly that if pro-
per care is given to these babies
and if people are made aware of
their unique problems, NAS
babies have a good chance at a
stabie life.

“These children have
Strengths as well as
weaknesses.”*

While they both concede that
fostering babies with NAS is a big
commitment of time, Linda says
there is a lot of support through
the Ministry of Social Services,
Sunny Hill Hospital and the local
Foster Parent Association.

their
their

The Prudens both say the
rewards far outweigh’ the dif-
ficulties.

“We see them in every stage,
then we see them happy and con-
tented, This turnaround is really
special,’’ said Allan, who added
that he’s enjoying this second time
around with babies since he was
so busy working when his own

- children were babies.

Linda recalls a time when a
baby, totally contented, laid her
head on her shoulder. then reach-
ed to cuddle up to Allan.

‘it was a very special mo-
ment,’’ she said. ‘1 don’t expect
miracles with these babies, ! look
for little victories. To have her
secure with us is a victory.”’

October is Foster Family Month
in British Columbia. For more in-
formation call FOSTERLINE I-
800-663-9999.

STORE HGURS
DUNBAR & GOLLARTON
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DUNDARAVE
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Sat sun Yaron
LYNN VALLEY
NORTE

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Wednesday, October 21, 1992 -- North Shore News — 53
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|
|
NEWS photo Paul aGeath |
LINDA AND Allan Pruden have chosen to foster babies with
neonata! abstinence syndrome (NAS). Infants with NAS are born
addicted to drugs and, often, alcohol.
|
; =<"
4 -
~~
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