Each person has their own abilities and strengths. They can include:
- being well-spoken
- artistic
- being well-spoken
- musical
- athletic
- friendly
- generous
- determined
- caring with young children and animals
Below are common challenges that have been observed in people diagnosed with FASD.
- Memory problems – trouble storing and retrieving information; often, they fill in the parts of a story they do not remember with made up information leading many people to believe they are lying
- Inconsistent performance – understands something one day but not the next day, leading people to believe that the child is being difficult on purpose
- Impulsive, distractible, disorganized – does and says things without thinking, has trouble finding things or planning and finishing a task
- Difficulty following directions – can repeat instructions, but cannot put them into action
- Literal thinkers – does not understand jokes or cannot use information learned in one situation in another situation
- Struggles with abstract concepts such as math, money management, consequences, and time
- Cognitive processing problems – may think more slowly and only understand every third word of a normally paced conversation
- Developmental delay – may act younger than their chronological age
- Poor judgement – inability to predict outcomes or understand consequences
- Delayed motor skills – may have trouble with fine motor skills or with activities that require coordination
- Poor social skills – problems making and keeping friends; cannot read body languag;, does not understand personal boundaries (Malbin, 2017)
Without a diagnosis and appropriate supports, people with FASD may experience further difficulties such as:
- Difficulty with activities of daily living
- Inability to control their frustration, which may result in aggression
- Mental health concerns
- Addictions and substance use issues
- Disrupted school experiences
- Difficulty holding a job
- Trouble with the law
- Homelessness (Government of Canada, 2018)
When diagnosed early and provided with the supports they need, individuals with FASD are resilient and thrive (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017).