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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 and it's estimated that between 3-5% of babies born in Aotearoa annually will have FASD.
People 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. However, every individual with FASD is unique and has areas of both strengths and challenges.
Canada leads the way globally in FASD research and resources in mental health; their work highlights the unmet needs of this large and vulnerable population group in our own society. As the updated Canadian mental health toolkit (see tab below) says:
"People with FASD are capable of significant change and personal growth. It is therefore imperative that, as mental health professionals, we continue to explore how we can adapt our supports so that individuals with FASD can benefit from practices suited to their unique strengths, challenges, and neurodevelopmental needs."
Almost all kaimahi / staff at FASD-CAN have in-home experience of caring for family members with FASD. We and our members know that interventions and support can make an enormous difference for those with FASD – but it is crucial for mental health professionals to adapt their therapies, programmes, and interventions to achieve this success with their FASD clients. There is need for both an FASD-informed approach and a brain-based lens to the interventions offered.
See tabs below for our selections of the best global resources, as well as some which are Aotearoa-specific.
