In a busy home, classroom or family support meeting, a clear FASD poster can help adults quickly understand what a child or young person may be struggling with and what support might help. The one-page layout is especially suited to parents, carers, teachers, SENCOs, social workers and practitioners who want a simple, printable explanation of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is presented here as a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition linked to alcohol exposure during pregnancy, with clear emphasis on brain development, learning, behaviour, emotions and daily life. The poster also states that FASD is not caused by poor parenting, which may be reassuring for families and carers.
The information is organised into numbered sections that answer common questions: what FASD is, what adults might notice, what difficulties can look like day to day, how home can help, how school can help, when to seek support and the key message to remember. This makes it easy to use as a quick reference rather than a lengthy handout.
Practical signs include difficulties with attention and memory, learning new skills, impulse control, managing strong emotions, social understanding, organisation and problem-solving. Day-to-day examples include forgetting instructions, finding changes in routine hard, taking longer to learn, struggling in noisy or busy places, and having difficulty making or keeping friends.
Support strategies are specific and usable, such as using simple language, routines and visual schedules, breaking tasks into small steps, giving reminders, praising effort, staying calm and creating a quiet safe space. School suggestions include visual supports, extra processing time, movement breaks, reducing sensory overload and working closely with home and other professionals.
The poster is likely to be most useful for families supporting children with known or suspected FASD, school staff preparing reasonable adjustments, and social care or health professionals explaining concerns in an accessible way. It also prompts adults to speak to a GP or relevant professional when prenatal alcohol exposure is known or suspected and developmental, learning, behavioural or emotional concerns are affecting daily life.
