Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: where we have come from, trends, and future directions

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) refers to a range of conditions caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol. First described in the 1970s as fetal alcohol syndrome, continuing progress has been made in the understanding, recognition and treatment of what is now recognized to be a range of related neurodevelopmental disorders. FASD is common, especially in countries with higher levels of alcohol consumption such as those in Europe and North America, where the prevalence is estimated to be around 3%. A number of diagnostic systems are in operation in different countries, and work is ongoing to develop an internationally agreed set of diagnostic criteria. People with FASD often have other developmental, mental and somatic conditions, and there appears to be a high rate of traumatic and other adverse experiences in this population. People with FASD are at increased risk of being involved in the criminal justice system, but they may be ill-equipped to successfully navigate it and are likely to provide false confessions, leading to wrongful convictions. Some interventions and treatments have been shown to be effective in improving functioning in children and families affected by FASD, which tend to take the form of coaching, education, advocacy and support. People with FASD have many strengths, which are often overlooked in research. They have been described as skilled musicians, artists and sportspeople with wide vocabularies who are resilient, compassionate, hard-working, and kind. Increasing attention is being paid to FASD but this is not enough. More research, diagnostic capacity, recognition, understanding, infrastructure and support are needed across the world.