Background: Narrative discourse, or storytelling, is used in daily conversation and requires higher-level language and social communication skills that are not always captured by standardised assessments of language. Many autistic individuals and individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have difficulties with both social…

The rationale of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Dog-assisted Therapy (DAT) in children and adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). We conducted a randomized controlled trial in a cohort of 71 children and adolescents with FASD. Participants were randomly assigned either to DAT group (n = 38) or Relaxation Group…

Introduction: Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with cognitive, emotional, and learning impairments have an increased likelihood of experiencing behavioral and socio-emotional difficulties and historical trauma. Methods: Using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health instrument, this…

Purpose: To date, research on effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has focused on a broad range of cognitive impairments, but relatively few studies have examined effects of PAE on development of reading skills. Although PAE has been linked to poorer reading comprehension, it remains unclear whether this impairment is attributable to…

Background: Infants, children, and youth in foster care have frequently experienced prenatal substance exposure (PSE), neglect, and maltreatment as well as disruptions in their relationships with families. They also have great capacity for overcoming early adversities. In this synthesis of two previously conducted scoping reviews, we aimed to…

Adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) experience a range of cognitive, behavioral, and physical difficulties, including difficulties with self-regulation. We investigated self-regulation strategy use in adolescents with FASD who completed a self-regulation intervention program. The intervention was an adapted version of the Alert…

Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with growth deficits and neurodevelopmental impairment including foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Difficulties with oral and written communication skills are common among children with PAE; however, less is known about how communication skills of adolescents who have PAE compare…

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at greater risk of health-related issues due to obesity and lack of physical activity. This study examined using virtual reality (VR) exergaming to increase the physical activity of high school students with IDD. Four students participated in this multiple probe across…

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is the term to describe the range of adverse effects that can occur when a fetus is exposed to alcohol. At present in New Zealand there are no definitive statistics on the extent of FASD as a prevalence study has not been undertaken. However, as reported in the New Zealand Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder…

The purpose of this article is to provide educators with information to support the increasing number of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) affected students in mainstream classrooms. Educating FASD-affected children requires a thorough understanding of identifiable and non-identifiable characteristics, common behavioural and social traits,…

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) present serious problems for the twenty-first century. These disorders describe a variety of neurological and behavioral deficits that result from exposure of an unborn child to alcohol during pregnancy. While thousands of children are diagnosed with FASD annually, FASD is completely preventable if women…

Youth who are high risk (YHR) face numerous adversities, and those with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) may experience even more complex challenges due to the compounding impact of brain dysfunction. However, very little research has been conducted to understand or characterize this vulnerable group, or explore potential strategies for…

Background: A high prevalence of prenatal alcohol exposure has been reported among children in care and thus, the risk of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in this population is high. Objective: The purpose of the current study was to estimate the number of children (0-18 years) in care with FASD and to determine the associated cost by age…

The range of learning difficulties associated with children and young people who have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) has been highlighted as an emerging but little understood area of Special Educational Needs. This engaging, timely and highly practical book will raise awareness about FASD and its associated difficulties across the entire…

Objective: To evaluate the association between prenatal alcohol exposure and the rate of conduct disorder in exposed compared with unexposed adolescents. Method: Data for these analyses are from a longitudinal study of prenatal substance exposures. Women were interviewed at their fourth and seventh prenatal months, and with their children, at…