FASD Elephant™ #010: The Primary Disabilities of FASD

People with FASD (including FAS) have both primary and secondary disabilities. Primary disabilities are those with which the person is born, such as seizures, sensory integration problems, etc. These are a direct result of the brain damage from prenatal alcohol exposure, and the topic of today’s podcast. Feedback or comments may be sent to: Michael__at__FASDElephant__dot__com.

FASD Elephant™ #008: The FASD Wheel™ – The Ten Brain Domains of FAS and FASD

The Ten Brain Domains Today’s podcast reviews the Ten Brain Domains of FAS and FASD in a little more depth; it is still an overview but gives more flesh to the domains in the context of completing an FASD Wheel. This is the third of a multi-part series edited from a workshop on the FASD … Read more

FASD Elephant™ #007: The FASD Wheel™ – Brain Functioning

Today’s podcast reviews brain functioning and how it can be affected by FASD. This is the second of a multi-part series edited from a workshop on the FASD Wheel (TM) presented at the 2007 Brain Conference on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Mahnomen, MN… one of the largest annual conferences held in Minnesota. Feedback … Read more

FASD Elephant™ #006: The FASD Wheel™ – Misattributions and Metaphors

Today’s podcast reviews useful metaphors and non-useful misattributions regarding FASD. This is the first of a multi-part series edited from a workshop on the FASD Wheel™ presented at the 2007 Brain Conference on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Mahnomen, MN… one of the largest annual conferences held in Minnesota. See www.FASDElephant.com for more details.Feedback … Read more

FASD Elephant™ Special Article #001: The Ten Brain Domains

Click here to download the PDF File This week, I am sending the original article on the Ten Brain Domains from the Journal of FAS International for your review. The regular audio podcast will return next week. Feedback or comments may be sent to: Michael__at__FASDElephant__dot__com.

FASD Elephant™ #005: The Ten Brain Domains

The Fetal Alcohol Diagnostic Program (FADP), in Duluth, MN, spearheaded by the Executive Director, Jeanette Lang, and her crack team, has developed the Ten Brain Domains, which provides clear definitions of brain dysfunction, specifies empirical data needed for accurate diagnosis, and defines intervention considerations that address the complex nature of FASD. The Ten Brain Domains … Read more

FASD Elephant™ #004: Other FASD Diagnoses

Each key feature of FASD can vary widely across individuals exposed to prenatal alcohol. While consensus exists for the diagnosis of FAS across diagnostic systems (see last podcast), minor variations among the systems lead to differences in definitions and cut-off criteria for other diagnoses across the FASD continuum. The FASD conditions of Partial FAS (PFAS) … Read more

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