Getting a diagnosis of FASD is not easy. Services are limited, some are funded and some you have to pay for yourself. Many diagnostic services in Ontario have waiting lists or only serve people from a certain area. To find diagnostic services near you, please consult the list of diagnostic clinics. You may also
Making a diagnosis of FASD requires a multidisciplinary team and involves a complex physical and neurodevelopmental assessment. The 2016 Canadian Diagnostic Guidelines for FASD provide the basis for a FASD diagnosis (Cook et al., 2016).
Benefits of a diagnosis:
If you have concerns about your child, it is important to discuss them with your health or social service provider, especially if you know or suspect that there was alcohol exposure during pregnancy. An early diagnosis can improve the outcome of people with FASD especially if it comes with appropriate supports and services.
A diagnosis of
Using alcohol if you are breastfeeding does not cause FASD. It is caused only by alcohol exposure during the pregnancy. If you drink alcohol before or during breastfeeding, alcohol does pass into the breastmilk and to the baby. If you plan on drinking alcohol occasionally and you are breastfeeding, wait until your baby is at
Many studies have been done on how we can reduce the incidence of FASD prevalence rate. The answer is not as simple as just telling women not to drink in pregnancy. It has been found that we need to use many strategies to lower rates of FASD:
