Understanding FASD: Awareness Month Insights

It’s the first week of FASD Awareness Month, but not enough people know that. In fact, too few know that FASD stands for “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders” and that no one in the US has FASD. Rather, they have AN FASD, because FASD is an umbrella term for the birth defects caused by prenatal alcohol exposure and ONLY prenatal alcohol exposure. It’s not just semantics; it’s a vital distinction for diagnoses here in the US that is different than in other countries. 

Far too few people know about FASDs; far too few people know that September — the ninth month to acknowledge the nine months of pregnancy — is FASD Awareness Month; far too few people know that FASDs are completely preventable; far too few people get appropriate diagnoses. 

In fact, FASDs occur in up to 5% of the population, but far fewer receive a diagnosis of an FASD. Most are either not diagnosed at all or are misdiagnosed — told they have autism, for example, rather than the FASD.  There is no single test to determine if someone has an FASD, but there are certainly underutilized resources available. Here’s a start: Help and Information – FASD United

This month I’ll be wearing my red shoes, in hopes that someone mentions them, so I can explain that, on average, FASDs affect one child in every classroom. Because Red Shoes Rock, and so does sharing knowledge. 

Red Shoes Rock – Global Voice for Prenatal Alcohol Exposure