What is FASD?

FASD is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.  These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral and/or learning disabilities.  The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism report that individuals with both FAS and less severe consequences of prenatal exposure to alcohol under the FASD umbrella can experience the following; problem behaviors, such as alcohol and drug abuse, hyperactivity, impulsivity, poor socialization and communication skills.

 There may also be problems with "executive functioning", which refers to a group of higher-level cognitive abilities such as problem solving, processing abstract thought, planning and organizing thoughts as well as tasks, and being flexible in one's thought process.  Deficits in exective functioning can have real-life implications.  For example, impulsivity may cause people with prenatal exposure to alcohol to act without considering the consequences, or they may have difficulties with activities that require problem solving or planning a sequence of activities.  So for those with average IQ scores, these children may have difficulty succeeding in school.  Parents report that these cognitive deficits can result in problematic behavior at home, problems with the law and in social interactions.