FASD can affect people from all cultures, races, ages, classes and genders. There is persistent stigma that FASD is most prevalent among certain groups but it is a disability that affects people from all over the world.
There are more children born with FASD than autism, Down syndrome, spina bifida, and HIV combined.
The human costs of FASD arise from the debilitating secondary disabilities found among affected individuals, and the emotional and financial burdens on their families.
Under the spectrum of FASD, several diagnoses are recognized. For example Individuals with ARND, under the spectrum of FASD and known as Alcohol Related Neurological Disorder, often suffer from a lack of diagnosis or recognition of disability, because they don’t exhibit the…show more content… Individuals with FASD also experience stigma. Because FASD is largely an invisible disability (i.e., no outward physical signs), society may not understand that it is a lifelong disability, which negatively impacts these individuals’ ability to fit social norms and become contributing members of society.
Many individuals with FASD also have mental health issues. Stigma and discrimination continue to be a reality in the lives of people suffering from mental illness and have been reported to be among the greatest barriers to regaining a normal and healthy lifestyle. Both interventions and treatment must include the identification and reduction of stigma and discrimination.
There is a tendency to single out and blame the birth mother of an individual with FASD. In reality, pregnant women who drink alcohol do not intend to cause harm to their children. Women who drink alcohol when they are pregnant nearly always fall into these three categories:
1. They suffer from the disease of alcoholism and can not stop alcohol use on their own
2. They are not aware that they are pregnant
3. They lack knowledge about the risks of alcohol to their
