Fostering Understanding - FASDs & Occupational Therapy

FASDs FAQs

• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) is an umbrella term for when a child is exposed to alcohol before birth
• Up to 1 in 20 U.S. school aged children have FASDs (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024)
• Permanent brain damage leading to challenges with attention, safety recognition, and sensory processing

Behavioral/Sensory Impact

• Behavioral (Dubovsky, 2019):
  • Said to have no remorse due to smiling and laughing all the time
  • May take longer to respond; difficulty working through things
  • May think literally
  • May be anxious, stressed, angry, aggressive, and have a limited understanding of fear
• Sensory (Dubovsky, 2019):
  • Tend to be hypersensitive for all senses:
    • Vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell
    • Proprioception (body in space)
    • Interoception (senses inside body)
    • Vestibular (movement/balance of head in space)

What is Occupational Therapy (OT)?

OT helps all age groups be able to do the things they want/need to do (occupations) as independently as possible. This can include: Social participation, play/leisure, emotional regulation, feeding, dressing, education, fine motor and gross motor skills, routines, executive functioning, and so much more

OT Behavioral/Sensory Strategies

Behavioral (Collins-Feist, 2021):

• Give only 2 coping strategies to repeatedly practice every time they are stressed or anxious (practice them
  when calm or playing)
  • Taking deep breaths (breathing bubbles, breathing in a mirror, blowing dandelions)
  • Counting to 10 (with fingers)
  • Yoga poses with breathing
  • 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Method

Sensory (Collins-Feist, 2021; Dubovsky, 2019):

• Lowering the lights
• Sucking on hard candy or chewing gum
• Warm bath
• Talking in soft voice, lower volume, and tone
• Deep pressure/hugs/weighted vest and blankets
• Essential oils (lavender, eucalyptus, orange)

*Safety*:

• Alarms on doors and windows (locks)
• Lock up medicine, vitamins, knives, and cleaning supplies

Resources

Click to access the Home Sensory Checklist and the Self-Care Journal for Caregivers.

Referring to OT:

• Need a referral from pediatrician for insurance purposes
• Child has difficulties with:
  • Life skills (dressing, brushing teeth, toileting)
  • Executive functioning (organization, planning, attention)
  • Social participation/play (sharing, taking turns)
  • Fine/gross motor skills (cutting, balance, writing)
  • Emotional regulation (calming down, emotions)

References

• Collins-Feist, B. (2021). A sensory approach to home [Continuing education course]. Continued.
  https://www.occupationaltherapy.com/ot-ceus/course/a-sensory-approach-to-home-5064
• Dubovsky, D. (2019). Modifying approaches to improve outcomes for children with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and their families [Continuing education course]. Continued. https://www.occupationaltherapy.com/ot-ceus/course/modifying-approaches-to-improve-outcomes4145
• United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). https://www.cdc.gov/fasd/about/index.html#cdc_disease_basics_testing_screeningdiagnosis