Abstract

It is now generally accepted that fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) comprise a set of lifelong neurodevelopmental disabilities, and that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can lead to wide-ranging, pervasive deficits. Despite many individual strengths and positive characteristics, a major concern is that those with FASD commonly display clinically significant behavior problems in childhood and adolescence. Over the life span, individuals with FASD also show high rates of many “secondary disabilities,” such as psychiatric conditions, substance use, and other troubling problems in daily function. In addition, their families have important unmet needs, and there are many barriers to accessing care and resources through service systems. There is hope. Around the world, public and professional awareness has grown regarding the negative impact of PAE and FASD. This is partly because epidemiologic studies have revealed FASD prevalence rates estimated as high as 2 to5% from in-school studies (May et al., 2009), and efforts are now under way by entities such as the World Health Organization to assess FASD prevalence. In many countries, the work of parent support and advocacy organizations, governmental organizations, scientists, and international research collaborations have, together, brought increased understanding. But the need for action has truly grown because of the voices of families who face the challenge of FASD, every day, in their own homes, around the world. Simply put, these families want to know what to do

Olson, H.C. (2016). A renewed call to action: The need for systematic research on intervention for FASD. Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, 40(9), 1817-1821. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.13150
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Keywords

  • Behavior problems
  • Secondary disabilities
  • System barriers
  • Increased understanding
  • Advocacy 

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