I married into a family affected by Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, the most severe expression on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). I had a huge learning curve about it, because once someone with FASD reaches puberty, a lot more difficult changes can happen to them than happen to typical teenagers.

Because I have been a writer and teacher all my life, it is natural that I would become an educator about this new thing that has captured my interest.

More importantly, researchers are finding that FASD, which is still a relatively unknown phenomenon, is probably at least as common as autism, which has, at long last, achieved something of a grip on public perception–at least most people have heard of autism by now.

FASD needs to be recognized, especially by clinicians, because it is a brain disease and a developmental disease and a cause of many predictable behavioral disorders.

Come learn with me.