In the United States, FASD affects an estimated 1 in 20 people (May et al., 2018). FASD is also the largest known cause of intellectual disability in the United States (Greenspan & Novick Brown, 2022).

Supporting a person with FASD often means adjusting the environment and approach to meet their needs. Strategies that help include:

• Consistent routines

• Limited stimulation

• Concrete language and examples

• Multi-sensory learning (visual, auditory and tactile)

• Realistic expectations

• Supportive environments

• Seeking FASD trained professionals

Facial feature are only seen in around 10% of people with FASD. Facial features alone can not diagnose someone with FASD.  As described in the scientific paper Evolution of the Physical Phenotype of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders from Childhood through Adolescence, “Key facial features that characterize FASD in early childhood diminish or evolve in some individuals, making diagnostic examinations that rely on these characteristics most sensitive during early childhood and school age. Given that several features and small head circumference diminished with age, many individuals would be misdiagnosed if only examined at a later age.”