This paper explains that children with prenatal alcohol exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) often experience learning, behaviour, and regulation challenges that are shaped by both brain-based differences and early life experiences, including trauma. Because FASD can look similar to other conditions, it is frequently missed or misdiagnosed.
The authors stress the importance of trauma-informed, relationship-based care. Behaviour should be understood as communication, not choice. Building trust with children and caregivers and responding with empathy and consistency leads to better outcomes.
The paper highlights the need for early identification, ongoing monitoring, and coordinated support across health, education, and community systems. When supports are flexible and grounded in understanding, children and youth with FASD are more likely to experience stability, engagement, and long-term success
Reflection for FASD Instructional Coaches
This research reinforces a core truth of FASD-informed practice: progress is built through relationships, not quick fixes. As Instructional Coaches, your work reflects the same principles described in this paper, patience, consistency, and a deep understanding of behaviour as communication.
The emphasis on therapeutic alliance mirrors the coaching role itself. Educators, like students, need safe and supportive spaces to reflect, ask questions, and shift long-standing practices. Coaching that is grounded in empathy and curiosity helps educators move away from compliance-based responses and toward strategies that reduce stress, build regulation skills, and support learning over time.
The paper also reminds us that challenges related to FASD often change as students grow. This underscores the importance of sustained support rather than one-time interventions. Small adjustments, predictable routines, visual supports, co-regulation strategies, may not always feel significant in the moment, but they create the conditions for long-term growth.