FASD: What types of intervention and rehabilitation are useful?

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) occurs worldwide when children are prenatally exposed to alcohol. This paper discusses recent findings regarding the neuropsychological and behavioral effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and how it impacts the developmental and functional abilities of children with FASD. Specifically, recent research focus has concentrated on studies to elucidate a neurobehavioral phenotype for the alcohol-exposed population. As a result, the FASD field has learned what types of neurobehavioral issues occur most frequently with these children. This paper discusses how that information can be used to inform school assessment, intervention planning, and support. Strategies for functional assessment, individualized planning, structured teaching, and developments in cognitive-behavioral methods are described. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.