Raising Kids Impacted by Opioid Exposure to Thrive

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Are you raising a child with known or suspected prenatal opioid exposure? Understanding the impacts and how to parent them will help you set your child up to thrive! We are joined by Lenette Serlo, an adoptive mom of four children impacted by prenatal substance exposure and the founder of Generation O, a nonprofit focused on creating understanding and support for children with prenatal opioid exposure and their families.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What are opioids, and what does it mean when a child has been exposed to opioids before birth?
• What are some of the short-term and long-term ways prenatal opioid exposure can affect a child’s brain, body, and development?
• What were some of the earliest things you noticed that helped you understand that your kids might experience the world differently?
• How can parents make the shift from asking “What’s wrong with this child?” to “What does this child need?”
• When a child has prenatal opioid exposure, what practical ways can parents help support emotional regulation and nervous system balance for these kids?
• What are some everyday challenges families might see at home? And what strategies can parents and caregivers try to support their kids with those challenges?
• What tools or routines can help kids succeed with things like organization, memory, and follow-through?
• How could a parent or caregiver partner with teachers or schools so that children impacted by prenatal opioid exposure can succeed academically and behaviorally?
• What have you learned about helping children build friendships and navigate social situations successfully?
• In the baby and preschool years, what supports or parenting approaches can make the biggest difference?
• What challenges tend to emerge during the elementary school years, and how can caregivers support learning, independence, and confidence during that stage?
• As children move into adolescence, what new challenges can appear, and how can parents continue supporting identity, independence, and life skills?
• What is one small change parents or caregivers can make tomorrow that could have a big impact?
• You founded Generation O to support families navigating prenatal opioid exposure. What gaps did you see that made you want to start this organization?
• What’s giving you hope right now?
• What is one message would you most want our listeners to take with them about helping their kids with a history of opioid exposure thrive now and into their futures?

Resources:

• Prenatal Substance Exposure Workshop for Foster, Adoptive & Kinship Parents
• Raising a Child with Prenatal Substance Exposure
• Prenatal Substance Exposure Training for Child Welfare Professionals

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Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.
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