September is Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month, and it gives families an important opportunity to talk about a condition that is often misunderstood.
For some parents, the subject may feel uncomfortable. For others, it may bring up worry about a past pregnancy or questions about a child who learns, behaves or develops differently. Wherever you are starting from, the most useful place to begin is with clear information and compassion.
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is not a label that defines a child. It is a way of understanding how alcohol exposure before birth may have affected development — and, importantly, how the right support can make everyday life easier.
What is Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is an umbrella term used for a range of lifelong effects that can occur when a developing baby is exposed to alcohol before birth. Alcohol passes from the mother’s bloodstream to the developing baby, where it can affect growth and brain development. The effects are different for every child and may range from mild to more significant.
A child with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder may experience challenges with attention, memory, learning, communication, coordination, judgement, emotional regulation or social skills. Some children may also have growth, vision, hearing or physical health concerns.
Importantly, not every child will have the same features. Many of the difficulties associated with FASD are not immediately visible, either. There is also no simple blood test that can diagnose the condition.
Why does awareness during pregnancy matter?
The safest approach during pregnancy is not to drink alcohol. There is no known safe amount, safe type or safe time for alcohol use during pregnancy, and alcohol exposure can affect a baby’s development throughout pregnancy — including before someone knows they are pregnant.
This is one of the most important messages of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month, but it needs to be shared without shame.
Pregnancy does not always begin with perfect information. Someone may have consumed alcohol before realising they were pregnant. Others may find it difficult to stop drinking. If you drank alcohol before discovering that you were pregnant, do not let fear prevent you from seeking antenatal care. Stop drinking once you know you are pregnant and speak openly with your doctor or healthcare professional about your concerns. It is never too late to stop, and your baby’s brain continues developing throughout pregnancy.
If stopping alcohol feels difficult, please ask for help rather than trying to manage it alone. Your doctor or healthcare team can help you find appropriate support and work with you towards the safest next step.
What might Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder look like in a child?
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder does not have one single “look” or behaviour pattern. That is part of the reason some children are identified later than others.
Parents may notice that their child seems to understand something one day and struggles to remember it the next. Instructions with several steps may be difficult to follow. Schoolwork, particularly activities involving memory, attention or maths, may take more effort.
A child may become overwhelmed by unexpected changes, struggle to control impulses or find it difficult to connect an action with what happens afterwards.
These behaviours can sometimes be mistaken for laziness, defiance or simply “not listening”. But a child may actually be trying very hard. Their brain may simply need information to be presented differently.
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder can also share features with other developmental or behavioural conditions, so one symptom alone does not mean that a child has FASD. A proper assessment by an appropriately trained healthcare professional is important.
When should parents ask for an assessment?
If you are concerned about your child’s development, learning, behaviour or ability to manage everyday activities, start by paying attention to patterns.
Instead of trying to remember everything during an appointment, keep a short record for two or three weeks. You could note:
- situations your child finds particularly difficult;
- instructions or tasks they regularly forget;
- what happens before they become overwhelmed;
- sleep patterns or difficulties;
- concerns raised by teachers or other caregivers; and
- strategies that seem to make things easier.
Take these notes with you when you speak to your paediatrician or healthcare professional.
If you have information about possible alcohol exposure during pregnancy, share this too. The aim is not to assign blame. Accurate information gives the healthcare team a clearer picture of your child’s development and can help them decide which assessments or referrals may be useful.
How can parents support a child with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?
There is no single treatment plan that suits every child with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Support works best when it is shaped around that child’s particular strengths and difficulties. Early intervention, appropriate medical care, behavioural support and parent training may all be useful depending on the child’s needs.
There are also practical changes you can make at home.
Keep instructions short. Instead of saying, “Go upstairs, get dressed, brush your teeth, pack your bag and come downstairs”, give one or two instructions at a time.
Make routines visible. A simple morning checklist or picture chart reduces how much information your child needs to remember at once.
Prepare them for changes. Give a five-minute warning before leaving the park, switching off a screen or moving to homework time. Predictability can make transitions feel much more manageable.
Show rather than only tell. Demonstrating something, using pictures or practising a task together may be more helpful than repeatedly explaining it.
Look at what happened before the behaviour. If your child regularly struggles in a particular situation, consider what may be making it difficult. Is the room noisy? Are they hungry? Were there too many instructions? Did the routine suddenly change?
Praise specific effort. Instead of only saying “well done”, try: “You remembered to check your school bag before we left today.” This helps your child understand exactly what they did successfully.
These strategies are not about lowering expectations. They are about making those expectations clearer and more achievable.
What should teachers and caregivers know?
Children with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder often benefit when the adults around them respond consistently.
If your child attends school or daycare, share practical information about what helps them. Rather than simply giving a teacher the name of a diagnosis, explain how your child learns best.
Could instructions be broken into smaller steps? Would a visual reminder help? Does your child need extra warning before changing activities? Is there a quiet, predictable space they can use when they feel overwhelmed?
Regular, short check-ins with teachers can also be valuable. You do not necessarily need to wait until the end of a term to discuss concerns. A brief conversation every few weeks can help parents and teachers notice patterns early and adjust support where needed.
Why is 9 September important?
International FASD Awareness Day takes place on 9 September each year. The ninth day of the ninth month symbolically represents the nine months of pregnancy and encourages conversations about alcohol-free pregnancies and the prevention of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
In South Africa, these conversations are particularly important. Awareness is not only about telling pregnant women not to drink. It is about ensuring that families have accurate information, that women who need help reducing or stopping alcohol use can access support, and that children affected by Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder are recognised and supported rather than judged.
A child is always more than a diagnosis.
Perhaps the most important message during Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month is this: understanding should lead to support, not judgement.
A child with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder may need more repetition, additional structure or a different approach to learning. They may also be funny, affectionate, imaginative, determined, curious and wonderfully themselves.
Challenges deserve attention. Strengths deserve just as much space.
When parents, caregivers, teachers and healthcare professionals understand what a child needs, they can replace frustration with practical support. That can make home calmer, school more manageable and everyday experiences a little easier for the child.
If you are worried about your child’s development or have questions about Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, speak to your paediatrician. Early support can help your family understand your child’s needs and find practical strategies that work with the way they learn, communicate and experience the world.