What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?
Introduction
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) refers to a range of disability that is caused by exposure to alcohol before birth. Alcohol can have a damaging effect on the developments that go on in the womb, and when the child is born, this can mean that he or she can have problems that range from mild to severe. This can affect a child’s physical health, the way that they think and behave, and their quality of social life.
Both the Government of Canada and the Surgeon General of the United States have advised that there is no amount or type of alcohol should be considered safe to drink while pregnant.
Challenges and strengths
Children with FASD can have mild to severe challenges in their thoughts, behaviours and physical health. The Public Health Agency of Canada has outlined a number of primary and secondary challenges that children with FASD may face to varying degrees. The primary challenges may include:
- Learning disabilities
- Physical birth defects
- Facial abnormalities
- Physical health problems
- Learning disabilities at school
- Memory problems
- Short attention span
- Difficulty communicating feelings in an appropriate manner
- Difficulty understanding the consequences of actions
Secondary challenges include:
- difficulty communicating thoughts and inability to control behaviour
- disrupted school experiences
- drug and alcohol abuse
- difficulty holding a job
- difficulty handling money
- interacting with others
- inappropriate sexual behaviour
- Important strengths in children with FASD may include:
- Specific learning styles that can respond to different teaching approaches
- Strengths in motor skills
- Abilities in areas of self-care
- Strong motor skills
For more detailed information on the challenges that children with FASD face, please see the Public Health Agency of Canada’s list of factsheets.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis of FASD is made based on a number of factors, including:
- low birth weight for the child
- low weight in general
- three specific facial features, involving the eyes and lips
- evidence of specific problems in the child’s thought or behaviours
- whether or not the child was exposed to alcohol before birth
Causes
FASD is caused by a fetus being exposed to alcohol. This occurs when the mother drinks alcohol while pregnant. All parents should be advised that there is no safe amount or type of alcohol for a pregnant woman to drink, at any time during the pregnancy.
For more information on the risks of FASD, please see the Government of Canada’s It’s Your Health factsheet on FASD, or the United States Surgeon General’s press release.