SCHOLARLY RESOURCES
Below are many of the statistics we often cite and the studies we reference. This is just a sampling of information available. There is so much research happening everyday on FASD.
NACAC Conference Resources
All citations in this PDF.
FASD Statistics
According to the CDC, studies indicate that as many as 1 in 20 students have an FASD. (May et al. Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in 4 US Communities. JAMA. 2018;319(5):474-482.)
During the pandemic, binge drinking among women of child bearing years increased 40%. (JAMA Net Open. 2020;3(9):e2022942. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.22942)
FASD prevalence is estimated to range between 1-5% of children in the United States. (May, P. A., Gossage, J. P., Kalberg, W. O., Robinson, L. K, Buckley, D., Manning, M., & Hoyme, E. (2009). Prevalence and epidemiologic characteristics of FASD from various research methods with an emphasis on recent in-school studies. Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 15(3), 176-192. https://doi.org/10.1002/ddrr.68 )
The rate is estimated to be higher—6% for FAS and nearly 17% for FASD— among children and youth involved with child welfare services. (Lange, S., Shield, K., Rehm, J., & Popova, S. (2013). Prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in childcare settings: A meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 132(4), e980-e995. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-0066 )
FASD and Child Welfare
2019 study which found the prevalence of FASD amongst children in care in the US to be 25%: Popova S, Lange S, Shield K, Burd L, Rehm J. Prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder among special subpopulations: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Addiction. 2019 Jul;114(7):1150-1172. doi: 10.1111/add.14598. Epub 2019 Apr 29. PMID: 30831001; PMCID: PMC6593791.
Prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder among special subpopulations: a systematic review and meta‐analysis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6593791/
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder among pre-adopted and foster children https://bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-020-02164-z
FASD and Foster Care from Proof Alliance https://www.proofalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/FASD-and-Foster-Care.pdf
Prenatal Alcohol and Other Drug Exposures in Child Welfare Study: Final Report https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/paode-in-cw-final-report-rev.pdf
Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Child Welfare Practice Tips https://ncsacw.acf.hhs.gov/files/fasd-tipsheet-cw.pdf
FASD and the Judicial System
The first is the FASD Resolution from the American Bar Association. The Resolution from 2012 states “RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges attorneys and judges, state, local, and specialty bar associations, and law school clinical programs to help identify and respond effectively to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in children and adults, through training to enhance awareness of FASD and its impact on individuals in the child welfare, juvenile justice, and adult criminal justice systems and the value of collaboration with medical, mental health, and disability experts.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the passage of laws, and adoption of policies at all levels of government, that acknowledge and treat the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and better assist individuals with FASD.”
Early intervention for FASD is important as it can decrease the risk of adverse life outcomes. (Petrenko CLM, Alto ME, Hart AR, Freeze SM, Cole LL. “I’m doing my part, I just need help from the community:” Intervention implications of foster and adoptive parents’ experiences raising children and young adults with FASD. Journal of Family Nursing. 2019;25(2):314-347. & Pei J, Kapasi A, Kennedy KE, Joly V. Towards healthy outcomes for individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Canada FASD Research Network in collaboration with the University of Alberta. 2019.)
90% of people with an FASD have mental health concerns – primarily depression and mood or anxiety disorders and 61% of adolescents experienced school disruptions (Streissguth, AP, Bookstein FL, Barr HM, et al. Risk factors for adverse life outcomes in fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. 2004;25(4):228-238.)
60% of people had a history of trouble with the law – a rate 30 times higher than the general population (McLachlan K, McNeil A, Pei J, Brain U, Andrew G, Oberlander TF. Prevalence and characteristics of adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in corrections: A Canadian case ascertainment study. BMC Public Health. 2019;19:43.)
50% of people had a history of confinement in a jail, prison, residential treatment drug facility, or psychiatric hospital (Streissguth, AP, Bookstein FL, Barr HM, et al. Risk factors for adverse life outcomes in fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. 2004;25(4):228-238.)
The Affidavit of Dr. Larry Burd from 2021 https://njdc.info/wp-content/uploads/FASD-Affidavit-of-Dr.-Larry-Burd-February-2021.pdf In the affidavit he references other documents that are important authorities on FASD. Those documents are:
US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Listening Session Report 2017 https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh176/files/pubs/249202.pdf
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Implications for Juvenile and Family Court Judges
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Surgeon General: Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs
[http://and%20health/]and Health
When Someone with FASD is Arrested: What you Need to know by Dr. Paul Connor
Gilbert, D. J., Allely, C. S., Mukherjee, R. A. S., & Cook, P. A. (2022). Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and Investigative interviewing: A systematic review highlighting clinical and legal implications and recommendations. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 40( 1), 170– 185. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2552
Novick Brown, N., & Greenspan, S. (2022). Diminished culpability in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 40( 1), 1– 13. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2535
Fetal Alcohol and the Law - Part 1 - YouTube.
Boulding, David, "Mistakes I have made with FAS Clients," September 17, 2001. (davidboulding.com)
Fast, Diane K. et al. “Identifying fetal alcohol syndrome among youth in the criminal justice system.” Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP 20 5 (1999): 370-2 .
Denny CH, et al. Consumption of alcohol beverages and binge drinking among pregnant women aged 18-44 years -- United States, 2015-2017. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). 2019;68(16):365-368.
May et al. Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in 4 US Communities. JAMA. 2018;319(5):474-482
A Multi-country Updated Assessment of the Economic Impact of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Costs for Children and Adults (J Addict Med 2018;12: 466–473)–subscription required.
There is a podcast on FASD Hope: A legacy of FASD and the Law, a conversation with Kay Kelly, the project director for the FASD Legal Issues Resource Center and another Lessons From Forensic Work Dr Natalie Novik Brown from February 2022
"Road to Resilience Identifying FASD in court involved youth" an online seminar
Natalie Novick Brown Editor
Floyd v. Gittere: Brief of National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome as Amicus Curiae in Support of Petitioner
Adaptive Behavior and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
William J. Edwards, J.D. and Stephen Greenspan, Ph.D.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Implications for Attorneys and the Courts
Larry Burd and William Edwards
FASD and the Concept of “Intellectual Disability Equivalence”
Stephen Greenspan, Natalie Novick Brown, and William Edwards
Some other documents that may be helpful:
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and the Justice System (The Crime Report Oct. 2022)
https://thecrimereport.org/2022/10/05/fetal-alcohol-syndrome-ignored-by-courts-paper/
Proof Alliance FASD and the Justice System Fact Sheet
https://www.proofalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/FASD-and-the-Justice-System.pdf
Neurocognitive Function and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Offenders with Mental Disorders (The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Sept. 2022) https://jaapl.org/content/early/2020/02/12/JAAPL.003886-20
FASD and Therapeutic Interventions
https://commons.und.edu/ot-grad/106/
Keller, Marie, "Occupational Therapy's Intervention for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Family Centered Therapy" (2003). Occupational Therapy Capstones. 106.
Sensory Dysregulation: Implications for FASD by Brittney Richardson M.S.E., OTS, LEND OT Junior Faculty, Department of Occupational Therapy University
of Central Arkansas & Tina A. Mankey Ed. D., OTR/L Chair/Program Director and Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy University of Central
Arkansas.
According to the CDC, studies indicate that as many as 1 in 20 students have an FASD. (May et al. Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in 4 US Communities. JAMA. 2018;319(5):474-482.)
During the pandemic, binge drinking among women of child bearing years increased 40%. (JAMA Net Open. 2020;3(9):e2022942. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.22942)
FASD prevalence is estimated to range between 1-5% of children in the United States.5,6 (5May, P. A., Gossage, J. P., Kalberg, W. O., Robinson, L. K, Buckley, D., Manning, M., & Hoyme, E. (2009). Prevalence and epidemiologic characteristics of FASD from various research methods with an emphasis on recent in-school studies.
Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 15(3), 176-192. https://doi.org/10.1002/ddrr.68 )
The rate is estimated to be higher—6% for FAS and nearly 17% for FASD— among children and youth involved with child welfare services.7 (Lange, S., Shield, K., Rehm, J., & Popova, S. (2013). Prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in childcare settings: A meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 132(4), e980-e995. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-0066 )
Cognitive changes may be only sign of fetal alcohol exposure | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of Health ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448178/
National Institute of Health ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7610847/
Rine, R.M., Braswell Cristy, J., Farrell, L. (October 2013) Fourth annual Pediatric Vestibular Rehabilitation: A competency based course. Jacksonville, FL.
Vestibular System: Your Child’s Internal GPS System for Motor Planning and Attention - Integrated Learning Strategies (ilslearningcorner.com)