HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN A CHILD LIVING WITH THE EFFECTS OF PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO ALCOHOL? Chances are good you have known some.
- While some may believe all kids with FASD have developmental disabilities or can be identified by their distinct facial features – THIS IS NOT TRUE. Only a small percentage of people with alcohol-related brain dysfunction have developmental disabilities and specific facial features.
- A child may look like the rest of the children, have a typical IQ, but still have invisible brain dysfunction causing confusing, disruptive and challenging behaviors.
- Children can have brain-based disabilities that look like willful misbehavior, non-compliance, defiance or lack of effort. You can make a tremendous difference to a child whether or not a medical diagnosis has been made.
- REMEMBER – most kids are not identified or diagnosed as having an alcohol-related brain disorder. You probably won’t know whether or not a child was exposed to alcohol prenatally.
Download the NOFAS Fact Sheet – FASD Identification: How to recognize FASD and guidelines for screening (PDF)