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 Comprehensive diagnosis, education, and appropriate interventions and accommodations can support positive outcomes and enhance the lives of FASD affected individuals, their families and communities.
The Manitoba FASD Centre provides assessment, diagnosis and short-term follow-up in accordance with FASD Canadian National Guidelines for diagnosis. These guidelines recommend a comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment of brain functioning and behaviour, growth and facial characteristics as well as consideration of prenatal and postnatal influences on physical, emotional and cognitive development.
An interview with the individual and their family identifies functional strengths and areas requiring support. A multidisciplinary report including a summary of the assessment results, diagnosis, and a description of strengths, challenges and recommendations are provided to the legal guardian and referral source.
The new Manitoba FASD Centre provides an expanded service-delivery approach for assessing:
- Adults – As resources and personnel become available, the service will expand to include adults
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term that encompasses three specific medical diagnoses: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (pFAS) and Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND). The spectrum of brain differences with FASD varies among individuals and may cause different learning, behavioral and daily living challenges for each individual. Individuals with FASD have their own unique strengths, skills and interests.
FAS – Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Applies to those individuals with a characteristic pattern of physical and neurological birth defects, including:
- Distinctive facial appearance (Small eyes,Smooth philtrum (area between nose and upper lip),Thin upper lip)
- Growth deficiency (making some individuals smaller)
- Abnormal brain function (central nervous system damage), which results in problems with thinking processes and behaviors
- Prenatal exposure to alcohol
pFAS – Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Refers to those who have a cluster of the following characteristics:
- Some of the facial characteristics found in FAS
- Abnormal brain function (central nervous system damage), which results in problems with thinking processes and behaviors
- No growth deficiency
- Prenatal exposure to alcohol
ARND – Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder
Refers to those individuals affected in the following ways:
- Abnormal brain function (central nervous system damage), which results in problems with thinking processes and behaviors
- None of the facial characteristics associated with FAS
- No growth deficiency
- Prenatal exposure to alcohol
ARBD: Alcohol-related Birth Defects
Describes the presence of birth defects that include physical malformations or specific organ defects in an individual with confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure, such as heart defects, cleft lip and palate, spina bifida, orthopedic anomalies or other defects.
Differential Diagnosis
There are other conditions that could look like FASD. A comprehensive medical evaluation will help distinguish among these conditions. Some of these could include the following:
- Fetal anticonvulsant embryopathy
- Maternal PKU embryopathy
- Dubowitz syndrome
- Aarskog syndrome
- Noonan syndrome
- Williams syndrome
- Kabuki syndrome
- Ritcher-Schinzel syndrome
- Chromosomal disorders (several)
- et cetera
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"Experienced, professional and accessible staff are recognized leaders in FASD assessment, diagnosis and care planning for individuals affected by FASD and their families and support network."
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