To mark FASD Awareness Month this September, Dr Helen Howlett, Women’s Health Champion and FASD Specialist, draws on her experience of working closely with mothers, families, and people living with FASD in this blog. Dr Howlett highlights why awareness, compassion, and national action are urgently needed.
As a Women’s Health Champion and FASD Specialist, I spend much of my time working with mothers, families, and people whose lives have been deeply affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Every day, I see both the challenges of living with this condition and the resilience of those who face it. September, FASD Awareness Month, is an important moment to shine a light on an issue that is still too little understood — and yet one that touches countless lives across the UK.
What is FASD?
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a lifelong condition that occurs when a baby is exposed to alcohol in the womb. Alcohol crosses the placenta, giving the baby the same blood alcohol concentration as the mother, but unlike adults, a fetus cannot process alcohol. This can damage the developing brain and body, causing lifelong physical, cognitive, and behavioural challenges.
FASD can lead to:
· Growth problems before or after birth
· Learning and memory difficulties
· Impulsive behaviour and poor attention
· Trouble with social skills and daily living
· Physical differences, although these appear in fewer than 1 in 10 cases
A common, but overlooked condition
Studies suggest that at least one child in every classroom in the UK may have FASD. Research from the University of Salford in 2021 estimated 3.6% of children are affected — and that was a conservative figure, excluding those at highest risk.
Yet despite its prevalence, one of the greatest challenges we face is recognition. FASD is a brain-based disability, protected under the Equality Act 2010, yet it is often misdiagnosed or overlooked. Symptoms overlap with ADHD, autism, and more than 400 other conditions. Less than 10% have the facial features that many people associate with FASD. This means that children with FASD usually look like any other child in the classroom which is why FASD is commonly referred to a hidden disability.
Too often, their struggles are interpreted as bad behaviour rather than recognised as the result of brain damage. This misunderstanding leaves families isolated and children without the support that could help them thrive.
These numbers are not just statistics. They represent children in our schools, young people entering adulthood, and families navigating daily challenges without enough support.
Why awareness matters
Awareness makes an enormous difference, which is why FASD Awareness Month is so important.
When a child receives a diagnosis, it helps their teachers and carers understand why certain behaviours occur. It helps them recognise that the child is not being ‘defiant’ or ‘difficult’ but needs appropriate tailored support.
Without that understanding, the consequences can be devastating. Research has shown that children with FASD are far more likely to end up excluded from school, in contact with youth offending services or struggling with mental health. All these impacts can last into adulthood and negatively affect life-chances.
Compassion, not blame
FASD is entirely preventable. The safest choice in pregnancy is not to drink any alcohol at all, even at low levels alcohol can harm the developing baby. Yet in the UK, 41% of women report drinking while pregnant, the fourth highest rate in the world. But this is not about women failing. It is about a society that still normalises alcohol at every turn, which downplays risks, and that fails to give women the clear and consistent information they deserve. Many women don’t know that even small amounts of alcohol can harm the developing baby, especially early on.
We need stronger public health campaigns, better training for professionals, and supportive conversations with women of childbearing age about alcohol and pregnancy.
It also means confronting the alcohol industry, which continues to market its products aggressively, often to women and young people, while minimising the risks.
Mandatory warning labels, restrictions on advertising and promotions, and increased funding for harm reduction campaigns are all necessary steps if we are serious about prevention.
Crucially, to really prevent FASD we must lead with compassion and not blame. We need to replace judgement with supportive conversations and systems that empower women to make healthy choices.
Why we need national action
In my job, I see how stigma and a national lack of access to diagnostic services are harming families. Families are desperate for recognition, while services are hampered by a lack of training and resources. FASD still sits in the shadows of ADHD and autism waiting lists, rarely acknowledged in education policy, and too often absent from conversations in health and social care. We cannot keep ignoring it.
FASD must be recognised as the common, preventable condition it is — across government, the NHS, the education sector, social care, and the criminal justice system. By raising awareness and training professionals nationally to diagnose and respond accordingly, we can protect children, empower families, and create a healthier future for generations to come.
Written by Dr Helen Howlett, Women’s Health Champion and FASD Specialist
This blog was published with the permission of the author. The views expressed are solely the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Alcohol Health Alliance or its members.
