Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Mental Health & Disabilities

 

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term that describes a range of physical differences and social behaviors associated with a person whose mother ingested alcohol during her pregnancy. It is a brain or neurological impairment. People living with FASD can have primary disabilities that include:

• trouble understanding and sequencing information
• memory and attention deficits
• delayed or dysfunctional language skills
• adaptive behavior
• other deficits or delayed development such as learning to talk and walk

It causes a wide variation of intellectual ability and can affect everything from the ability to learn to knowing how to act appropriately in a social setting. It is not something from which people recover. It is a permanent condition.

Many people who have FASD are creative, artistic, or musical and have strong visual memories. They can make significant contributions to their community and live happy fulfilled lives. FASD was diagnosed in the early 1970s, but people are only now starting to understand the scope of this disability. MCC is working with a health care worker and community groups to make resources available to those who want to learn more and help people who have this disability.

 

General Information

For more information about MCC's involvement with FASD contact Irma at MCC Canada, or .