Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is an umbrella term. This is not a clinical diagnosis. Under the umbrella of FASD:

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): Individuals with FAS can exhibit growth deficiencies, distinct facial features, and central nervous system problems, leading to challenges in learning, memory, attention, communication, and sensory processing (like vision and hearing). They often face difficulties in educational settings and social interactions.

Partial FAS (pFAS): Individuals with pFAS exhibit some of the signs and symptoms of FAS but do not meet the full criteria. They might display similar facial characteristics, growth deficiencies but may not have the CNS abnormalities to the same degree.

Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND): People with ARND may experience intellectual disabilities and behavioral and learning challenges. They often struggle academically, particularly with math, memory, attention, judgment, and impulse control.

Alcohol-Related Birth Defects (ARBD): Individuals with ARBD typically have physical defects affecting the heart, kidneys, bones, or auditory system.

Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE): Recognized in the DSM-5 in 2013, ND-PAE involves difficulties in thinking, memory, behavior, and daily living skills. Symptoms include trouble with planning, memory retention, severe tantrums, mood swings, and challenges in adapting to day-to-day tasks.

The FASD project is a film seeking to rapidly increase awareness of the risks of alcohol consumption in pregnancy within a short period of time, given the significant increase in alcohol consumption since the onset of the global pandemic. This film aims to bring awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and provide detailed scientific information on prevention, while aiming to start discussions about solutions to current problems facing the community. Through the course of our film journey, we will be interviewing top scientists, clinicians, psychologists, lawyers, directors of Public Health offices and health institutes, and most importantly, parents and family members of individuals with a FASD. We will follow ‘a day in the life’ of those living with and impacted by a FASD to present to the viewers how living with an FASD shows up in day-to-day life. We will focus on impacted individuals who are doing well in addition to individuals who are not faring as well due to incarceration, homelessness or major mental health challenges exacerbated by FASD.