Understanding FASD and Its Impact on Individuals and Families
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a range of effects caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. It impacts brain development, behavior, and physical health, affecting each person differently.
What is FASD?
“Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a diagnostic term used to describe impacts on the brain and body of individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol. FASD is a lifelong disability. Individuals with FASD will experience some degree of challenges in their daily living, and need support with motor skills, physical health, learning, memory, attention, communication, emotional regulation, and social skills to reach their full potential. Each individual with FASD is unique and has areas of both strengths and challenges.”
- (Harding, Flannigan, McFarlane 2019)
What Causes FASD?
FASD is a diagnostic term used to refer to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Alcohol is a "teratogen" and can have an impact on the development of an unborn child. Someone who has been Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol may or may not receive a diagnosis of FASD. A diagnosis of FASD is only made when there is evidence of pervasive brain dysfunction in 3 or more of the 10 neurodevelopmental domains. Only persons who can confirm that they were prenatally exposed to alcohol (PAE) are eligible to be assessed for an FASD diagnosis. The areas that may need support are Motor Skills, Physical Health, Learning & Memory, Attention & Emotional Regulation, Communication and Social Skills. The best way to support people with PAE or FASD is to use a strengths based approach that is both trauma-informed and culturally safe.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (2005), there are an estimated 9 cases of FASD in every 1000 births in Canada. Health Canada reports that FASD is more prevalent than all other major birth defects combined.
Caregiver Support Group
At FASSY, we believe that while you can't fix a person, you can change the environment. Poor outcomes for individuals with FASD and their families don't have to be the usual results - once we know better, we do better.
If you would like to learn ways to work with individuals with FASD, please contact FASSY to order a copy of our Trying Differently: A Guide for Daily Living and Working with FASD. It is a collection of recommended strategies and interventions that have come from parents, caregivers and professionals who live and work with FASD.
To learn more about FASD, please feel free to Contact FASSY or see our FASD Resources page.