Why Zebras?

Our Executive Director and one of the founding moms of ATN, Nancy Spoolstra, is a veterinarian by degree, and knows that most hoofbeats mean horses.  But her own experiences in adopting 4 special needs children, and that of countless others she's supported, has led her to believe there are lots of zebras in our midst -- traumatized children and those with Attachment Disorder.  

 Those zebra children, the ones with attachment disorder, don't have visible stripes or markings that clearly distinguish them from kids who are more capable of forming attachments. In fact, children with Attachment Disorder can appear to be incredibly charming, calm, well-adjusted, tame little horses compared to their more normal and exuberant counterparts.  

As a result of Nancy's experience with her troubled children, and the generally unsupportive, unreceptive and unaware response of the mental health community, she and all of us at ATN have devoted a great deal of time and energy into the dissemination of information about Reactive Attachment Disorder.  Many parents are adopting zebras, both domestically and internationally, and believing that they are getting horses.  And many mental health professionals have little to no experience in recognizing the stripes of our attachment-disordered equine.

With the right help in place -- the right therapies, doctors, support -- families may be successful in taming their little zebra, but the child's tendency to be the first to startle and the last to relax will always remain. Additionally, the veterinarian who treats domesticated equines is not usually the same professional who tends to the horse's less domesticated cousins in the zoo. Families learn that mental health professionals who do not understand grief, loss, adoption and attachment issues will probably not adequately meet the needs of "zebra families".

Parents, before you adopt, please learn the more subtle differences between a horse and a zebra. Both horses and zebras need the presence of other members of their species; however, the management of each is quite different. Certainly, the presence of a zebra in the paddock amidst a herd of horses has the potential to be a disaster.  So does being unprepared for a child's attachment issues provide potential disaster to a family.  Quite possibly your zebra can be tamed, but it will undoubtedly not be without some damage to the rest of the herd.   This site, and all the activities of ATN are focused on providing education and support to families of children with Attachment Disorder and those in the community who work with and support the family -- i.e. therapists, teachers, social services, churches, extended families. Mission Statement

And remember. . .if you are pursuing those hoofbeats in the woods, think both horses and zebras!