Special Education

Since antiquity, people have suspected that alcohol can harm a developing fetus. Through the ages, references to this concern have appeared in written form, in art, and in oral traditions. It was not until 1973, however, that the scientific community recognized the distinctive pattern of delayed growth, intellectual and behavioural disabilities, and facial characteristics caused by alcohol abuse during pregnancy and gave it the name, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Since that time, public awareness of this neurological disorder has been growing.

The first reported cases of FAS in Canada occurred in B.C. in the late 1970s. Since then, public education campaigns have been delivered in an effort to prevent the condition. Many of the children diagnosed with FAS today were born at a time when physicians were not aware that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can be harmful to the fetus. No one advised mothers not to drink.

FAS is often called a “hidden” disability because its physical characteristics can be subtle and may go unrecognized. Many children with FAS are endearing and affectionate, and these qualities can mask the seriousness of this lifelong neurological disability. Students with FAS can display learning patterns and behaviours that baffle their teachers. It is very difficult to diagnose prenatal exposure to alcohol. FAS and FAE are medical conditions that must be diagnosed by a physician. A diagnosis of FAS is made when there is known, significant prenatal exposure to alcohol and the child exhibits three characteristics:

1. Delayed prenatal and/or postnatal growth.
   The delay must result in height and/or weight below the tenth percentile.
2. Central nervous system involvement.
   This can result in one or more of the following conditions being oberved in the child:

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