FASD Elephant™ #003: The Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnosis

Any Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is diagnosed by assessing the four key features that were first identified in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) in 1973. FAS requires a positive and severe finding in all four key features, but other FASD conditions may vary across a continuum of severity. FAS is the only expression of FASD that has … Read more

FASD Elephant™ #002: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) History and Diagnostic Introduction

History The earliest known observation of possible links between maternal alcohol use and fetal damage may have been made in 1899 by Dr. William Sullivan, a Liverpool prison physician who noted higher rates of stillbirth for 120 alcoholic female prisoners than their sober female relatives and suggested the causal agent to be alcohol use (Sullivan, 1899). … Read more

FASD Elephant™ #001: Definitions and Terminology

Today’s episode covers the definiton of FASD and attempts to clear up the confusing terminology that has been used in the past. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) describes a continuum of permanent birth defects caused by maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Maternal alcohol crosses the placental barrier and can stunt fetal growth or weight, … Read more

FASD Elephant™ Bonus Track 02: KDWA Interview – Part 2

This is a beginner’s bonus track – the second half of an interview conducted on-air by KDWA on December 5, 2006, with myself and Alice Garceau, an adoptive mother of an FASD child. It was a good interview, and we continued with many FASD topics. If you haven’t heard part one, go ahead and download it … Read more

FASD Elephant™ Bonus Track 01: KDWA Interview (12-05-2006)

This is an introductory bonus track – the first half of an interview conducted on-air by KDWA on December 5, 2006, with Alice Garceau, an adoptive mother of an FASD child, and myself. Alice has been active in the FASD community for several years, runs a support group in the southern Twin Cities area, has … Read more