Welcome
Welcome to the SAMHSA Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Center for Excellence Web site. The FASD Center is a Federal initiative devoted to preventing and treating FASD. This Web site provides information and resources about FASD. We also provide materials you can use to raise awareness about FASD. Additionally, The Center is dedicated to providing training, technical assistance, and conference/event speakers.
What is FASD
FASD is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications. Each year in the U.S., as many as 40,000 babies are born with an FASD. The cost to the nation for FAS alone is about $6 billion a year.
The term FASD
The term FASD refers to a spectrum of conditions that include fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), fetal alcohol effects (FAE), alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD). Although disorders within the spectrum can be diagnosed, the term FASD itself is not intended for use as a clinical diagnosis.
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