🌼 FASD Awareness Month – How Does FASD Present?

As part of FASD Awareness Month, we’re continuing to shine a light on how Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) affects individuals — and why deeper understanding is so important.

FASD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that impacts how a person processes and responds to the world around them. These challenges aren’t always visible, but they are very real — and they deserve compassion, not judgement.

🧠 How Does FASD Present?

Children and adults with FASD often experience difficulties with processing information. This can show up in many ways, such as:

• Struggling to translate hearing into doing

• Finding it hard to put thoughts into words

• Difficulty turning reading into speaking

• Challenges expressing feelings through language

  
  

These are not signs of laziness or lack of intelligence — they are signs of a brain that works differently. And with the right understanding and support, people with FASD can absolutely thrive.

💡 Executive Functioning and Cognitive Profile

A key area of difficulty for many individuals with FASD is executive functioning — the mental skills that help us plan, organise, stay on task, and manage our emotions.

To better understand this, we highly recommend watching the video:🎥 "Understanding Cognitive Profile and Executive Functioning"📺 Watch on YouTube

This short, accessible video from the National Organisation for FASD offers a clear explanation of the kinds of challenges someone with FASD might face — and how you can support them more effectively.

💙 Why Awareness Matters

When we understand the how and why behind FASD behaviours, we can respond with:

✔️ Patience

✔️ Empathy

✔️ Meaningful support

Raising awareness helps break down stigma, promote earlier recognition, and encourage support that is built on understanding, not assumptions.

📘 Learn More

Explore more about FASD and access helpful resources in our Learn Zone:👉 https://www.nest.scot/learn/topic/fasd