Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is cluster of birth defects that develop in infants of some women who drink heavily during pregnancy. They may include prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency, facial malformations, central nervous system dysfunction, organ malformations, and developmental delays. Here are some good places to start for information about FAS.


FASlink: The web site of The TRIUMF Project and the Fetal Alcohol Support Network of Toronto & Peel, this busy page contains lots of information about FAS, a mailing list, articles, links, a downloadable “InfoDisk” containing “a large collection of practical articles on FAS which are of interest to parents, caregivers and those dealing with FAS issues in medicine, social work, education and justice” (we didn’t check them out), and more.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Branch: Part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Birth Defects, Child Development, and Disability and Health, this site includes information about FAS, surveillance activities, prevention activities, secondary conditions, publications, and links.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Community Resource Center: Despite an overly-busy appearance and and a plethora of amazon.com links, Teresa Kellerman’s website is worth exploring thoroughly for its many useful articles, resources, and links.

Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (MOFAS): While we don’t typically provide information about state and local websites in The DRM WebWatcher (see the DRM Regional Resource Directory for that), this statewide collaborating agency includes a number of excellent resources for a much wider audience. In particular, check out the “National Directory” for an extensive guide to FAS resources in each state, and “Guidelines of Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs” for an excellent online booklet for families and health care providers.

National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS): Focusing on professionals, this nonprofit organization provides information about fetal alcohol syndrome, strategies for working with FAS children, current events, and information about the organization and its resources.

Related Subjects: Substance Abuse and People with Disabilities; Resources in your state