The Department of Health and Social Care has published the “Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism: Interim Report” (March 2026). This report does not yet name FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) as a driver or lens for the identified “rising distress” and “growing difficulty” in the related services – and National FASD considers that is a material gap.
https://nationalfasd.org.uk/fasd-cannot-be-ignored/
CBC (Canada) - Advocates
say N.S. needs strategy to help people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
When Rochelle Howlett and her son Aaron were contemplating where he would
go to college, it didn’t take long before they settled on a school in New
Brunswick — a province with wraparound support for people living with fetal
alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-supports-advocates-9.7179919
Global News (Canada) -
Group calls on Ontario to redirect alcohol revenue to deal with harms of
drinking
As the Ford government moves to allow more public alcohol consumption,
after expanding beer and wine sales and lowering some taxes, one group is
imploring the province to redirect a portion of revenue to education and
prevention.
https://globalnews.ca/news/11823184/ontario-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-call/
MSN - If your mom
drank even a little during pregnancy you're far more likely to develop a
dangerous habit
Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy are more likely to have children
who grow up vulnerable to alcohol dependence, a major study suggests.
https://www.msn.com/en-ae/news/other/if-your-mom-drank-even-a-little-during-pregnancy-you-re-far-more-likely-to-develop-a-dangerous-habit/
Frontiers in Public
Health - Ireland's silent epidemic: Why FASD can't be ignored anymore
Historically, pregnant women in Ireland were advised to drink stout for its
supposed iron-boosting benefits, a myth which has become culturally ingrained
across parents and medical professionals.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1781199/full
FASD-CAN (New Zealand)
- Tītoki: A connection pathway for rangatahi with FASD
FASD-CAN supports a group of rangatahi / young people and adults living
with FASD via a globally-innovative, co-led programme of events that the cohort
has named ‘Tītoki’ (previously IDP – Individuals Development Programme).
https://www.fasd-can.org.nz/titoki
CanFASD (Canada) - Launching
the FASD Identification, Assessment and Diagnosis Hub
A major step forward in supporting individuals and families affected by
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) has arrived with the launch of the new
Identification, Assessment and Diagnosis (IAD) Hub.
https://canfasd.ca/2026/04/22/launching-the-fasd-identification-assessment-and-diagnosis-hub/
CanFASD - A
five-step guide to FASD Month event planning
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Month is a wonderful
opportunity to bring people together, spark conversations, and raise awareness
in your community. This year’s theme is Everyone Plays a Part: It Takes a
Community. Across Canada, communities are finding creative ways to get involved
– some by hosting their own events, others by weaving awareness into existing
community spaces.
https://canfasd.ca/2026/04/29/a-five-step-guide-to-fasd-month-event-planning/
Medium - The
Five-Percent Recovery
Long-haul FASD caregivers are good at fantasizing about big fixes, but
those are really about having a different life… things like more sleep, fewer
demands on the plate, a kid with fewer hard days, or a system that actually
supports FASD.
https://medium.com/%40FASDElephant/april-17-the-five-percent-recovery-2aab7890e822
VIDEOS and WEBINARS
Undivided - How FASD Is Recognized and Diagnosed — and Why It’s Often Missed
Roxanne Chang, MD, pediatrician at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and assistant
clinical professor at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA explains why
fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is frequently overlooked and what
providers should be watching for instead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNIoJF_q5zI
Undivided - Tips
for Supporting a Child With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
Even without an FASD diagnosis, early support matters. Roxanne Chang, MD,
pediatrician at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and assistant clinical professor at
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, explains why children with prenatal
alcohol exposure benefit from monitoring, co-regulation, and environmental
supports — and why behavior-based approaches often don’t work for kids with
FASD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apxt6PILMB4
Undivided - Brain-Based
Differences in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are often
misunderstood when their behaviors are seen as defiance. Eileen Devine, LCSW,
therapist, parent coach, consultant, and trainer, explains how brain-based
differences shape behavior and how a brain-first approach helps parents better
support regulation and learning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlfF0lhNaKQ
Undivided - FASD
and Behavior: Why a Brain-First Approach Works Better
Traditional behavior strategies often focus on compliance, but children
with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) need support for brain-based
differences and fragile nervous systems. Eileen Devine, LCSW, therapist, parent
coach, consultant, and trainer, explains how a brain-first approach and
co-regulation help kids thrive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=829p8ZIRwFM
CanFASD - Understanding
the Impact of Trauma in PAE and FASD
In this webinar recording, presenters will share current research examining
the effects of trauma and adversity on individuals with PAE and FASD, explain
why there is a need for more collaborative approaches to interventions and give
examples of real world implications.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbWRxm5ogNY
Walsall Safeguarding
Partnership - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Raising, multi
agency briefing
This briefing session has been developed in light of learning identified
within recent reviews in Walsall and Wolverhampton highlighting the need to
strengthen awareness, identification, and support for children affected by
FASD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOKgkJXdMQA
VCHIP - Understanding
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: From Stigma to Support
Presented at the Improving Care of Newborns with Substance Exposure (ICoNS)
Statewide Conference on April 7, 2026, hosted by the Perinatal Quality
Collaborative Vermont (PQC-VT).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB9O5ph_-6w
OhioDBH - Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome Disorder and Substance Use Disorder in the Correctio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1STN-x221Y0
Patricia Kasper, Your
FASD Coach - Navigating Life with FASD: A Personal Journey with FASD
podcaster & educator Jake Tjapkes
In this episode of Living with FASD, host Patti Kasper engages in a deep
conversation with Jake Tjapkes, who shares his personal journey with Fetal
Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI6LT0Uip44
Patricia Kasper, Your
FASD Coach - Finding Calm in Chaos: Practical Strategies for Emotional
Regulation with AJ Loashio
In this episode, Patti Kasper and AJ Locascio delve back into the
complexities of emotional regulation, exploring practical strategies to help
individuals ground themselves and regain a sense of safety.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poN3jWJEZ3g
WFAA - Expert
testimony: Dr. Julian Davies links brain development issues to Tanner Horner
A clinical professor of pediatrics and expert on fetal alcohol syndrome,
Dr. Julian Davies, testified during the sentencing phase of Tanner Horner’s
trial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK_rHMOqLmU
Harrison's Hope FASD -
From Crisis to Connection: Brain-Based Parenting Strategies for FASD with
Barb Clark
In this powerful and deeply practical webinar, Barb Clark shares lived
experience and brain-based strategies for supporting individuals with FASD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-0tzc27ArM
RESEARCH
Children - An Exploration of Language and Communication Profiles in a
Clinical Sample of People with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Seen in
the UK National FASD Clinic
These results suggest the potential clinical utility of using the CCC as a
measure of an individual’s language functioning as part of an FASD assessment,
particularly in the absence of access to direct assessment carried out by a
SaLT.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/5/611
Children - Lived
Experiences of Adoptive Parents Raising Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders in Israel: A Qualitative Study
This study’s findings underscore the need for improved professional
training, clearer diagnostic pathways, FASD-informed educational practices, and
coordinated multidisciplinary services.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/5/597
Corewell Health - Diagnostic
Yield of Clinical Genetic Testing in a Cohort of Pediatric Patients Undergoing
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Evaluation
In utero ethanol exposure can affect facial features, growth, and
neurodevelopment, producing a range of clinical findings collectively termed
fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
https://scholarlyworks.corewellhealth.org/corewellhealth_west_research_confabstract/206/
Universitat Autònoma
de Barcelona - Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) among
Children Adopted from Eastern European Countries : Russia and Ukraine
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of FASD in adopted
children. Children between the ages of 8 and 24 adopted from Russia and Ukraine
were evaluated for clinical and historical features of FASD.
https://recercat.cat/handle/2072/458697
Seizure: European
Journal of Epilepsy - Seizures in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD):
evaluation of clinical, electroencephalographic, and neuroradiologic features
in a large sample of Norwegian children
Both the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines and the four-digit
diagnostic code consider epilepsy as a potential contributing feature in
FAS/FASD classification. Although our cohort demonstrated an increased
frequency of epilepsy, three cases may be better explained by genetic or
idiopathic mechanisms rather than FASD.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1059131126001123
Frontiers in
Psychology - The Developmental–Diagnostic Gap: Cultural Invisibility and
Delayed Recognition of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Earlier recognition of neurodevelopmental disruption may improve
developmental outcomes by enabling timely, developmentally informed support and
reducing the accumulation of secondary harm.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1836200/abstract
Public Health
Institute Journal - A qualitative systematic review of caregiver experiences
raising children and adolescents with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Providing care for children with FASD can be extremely difficult,
particularly when experts don't fully understand the condition. Faster
diagnosis, better-trained personnel, and additional support—such as peer groups
and respite care—are all necessary for families.
https://openjournals.ljmu.ac.uk/PHIJ/article/view/3567
University of
Lynchburg - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Improving the Diagnosis
These findings emphasize how vital it is for medical personnel to compile
intervention strategies to get ahead of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, to
decrease the lifelong effects that accompany it.
https://digitalshowcase.lynchburg.edu/studentshowcase/2026/poster/32/
Paediatrics &
Child Health - National surveillance for new cases of fetal alcohol spectrum
- a fictional clinical vignette
George is a fictional 10-year-old White boy who presents to your paediatric
clinic with challenges in his academic functioning, attention and impulse
control, emotional regulation, motor coordination, and language abilities.
https://academic.oup.com/pch/advance-article/doi/10.1093/pch/pxag023/8654372?guestAccessKey=
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Impact of the severity of maternal depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic
stress disorder, as well as alcohol consumption, on perinatal outcomes
Moderate-to-severe anxiety, depression, PTSD, and alcohol use during
pregnancy were associated with reduced neonatal head circumference. These
findings underscore the importance of early screening and intervention for
maternal mental health and alcohol use.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-026-09179-x
Journal of Racial and Ethnic
Health Disparities - A Mixed Methods Analysis of Risk and Support Factors
for Prenatal Alcohol and Substance Use Among American Indian/Alaska Native
Birthing People
Alcohol and substance use (A/SU) during pregnancy is intertwined with
social determinants of health, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and
intimate partner violence (IPV).
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40615-026-02987-z
International Journal
of Drug Policy - Alcohol industry arguments about mandatory pregnancy
warning labels: A qualitative analysis of industry submissions in Australia and
New Zealand
Arguments made in industry submissions were reflected in subsequent
alterations to the warning label design and the length of the transition
period. This study contributes to remedying a paucity of research on industry
arguments against pregnancy warning labels and offers insights for
international alcohol policymaking.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095539592600143X
IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Clinica dell'Alcolismo (Italy) - L’impalcatura genitoriale nei bambini con
disturbi dello spettro feto-alcolico: la governance di una vasta gamma di
deficit
https://journals.francoangeli.it/index.php/mission-oa/article/view/22235
SAFFrance (France) - Qu’attend-on
pour prévenir le syndrome d’alcoolisation fœtale?
Durant l’examen du budget de la Sécurité sociale dans un contexte de
tensions financières extrêmes, un amendement déposé par le député réunionnais
Perceval Gaillard a été adopté à l’Assemblée nationale sur un sujet majeur trop
longtemps passé sous les radars : la prévention du syndrome d’alcoolisation
fœtale (SAF) et des troubles causés par l’alcoolisation fœtale (TSAF).
https://campagne.saffrance.com/tribune-dans-le-figaro-avril-2026/
Skövde Nyheter
(Sweden) - Fosterskador av alkohol kan vara vanligare än man trott
Fosterskador orsakade av alkohol under graviditeten kan vara vanligare än
man tidigare trott. En ny pilotstudie visar att över fem procent av de
undersökta barnen har tecken på alkoholrelaterade skador.
https://www.skovdenyheter.se/fosterskador-av-alkohol-kan-vara-vanligare-an-man-trott/
