What is FASD?
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an important health issue in Canada. The term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder describes the range of effects that can occur in infants, children, youth or adults exposed to alcohol while in the womb. You might also hear phrases like prenatal exposure to alcohol, exposure to alcohol before birth or hear FASD described as occurring when a mother drinks while pregnant.
When a woman drinks alcohol while pregnant, her fetus is exposed directly to alcohol through her bloodstream. Alcohol can interfere with growth and development of all fetal body systems. The developing brain and central nervous system (CNS) are especially at risk to the harms of alcohol. In addition, because the brain and CNS develop during the entire nine months of pregnancy, the harm can happen over an extended time.
FASD is called a spectrum disorder because of the different effects and the different diagnoses within the spectrum. The most common diagnoses are:
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
- Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (pFAS)
- Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND)
These diagnoses include mild to severe disabilities. The disabilities can be a mix of cognitive (thinking), behavioural (actions), physical (body or health) or sensory (vision, touch, hearing) disabilities. Disabilities caused by direct exposure to alcohol in the womb are called primary disabilities. They are present from birth, permanent and are different for everyone.