VIDEO ONLY: Gokce Ergun, Ph.D., FASD Informed: Best practices in Identification and Assessment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, 2 CEs

Level of Activity: Intermediate Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe a continuum of disorders that result from a mother’s consumption of alcohol during pregnancy (Williams & Smith, 2015). Alcohol creates a spectrum of impact on the developing brain, contributing to lifelong physical, cognitive and behavioral implications (Kable et al., 2016; Mattson et al., 2019). Prevalence rates of 1-5% (May et al., 2018) are underestimated and the disorder is not well recognized due to stigma of drinking while pregnant as well as not having standard diagnostic procedures and high overlap of symptoms with other neurodevelopmental disorders. These lead to misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis rates, lack of appropriate screening and referral processes (Chasnoff et al, 2015). Therefore, children with FASD experience stigma, receive inappropriate treatment, late diagnosis, and more involvement in the legal and welfare system. To best serve this population and their families, it is vital for psychologists and other mental health professionals to collaborate as an interdisciplinary team that is knowledgeable about symptoms, red flags, diagnostic process, and evidence-based treatments for FASD. This presentation aims to fill in this gap and provide culturally and FASD-informed practices in identifying, diagnosing, and treating children with FASD in various systems. Objectives 1. Participants will be able to identify the impact of alcohol on the unborn baby’s brain as well as identify the symptoms and red flags of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) across the life span. 2. Participants will be able to learn about the different evidence-based diagnostic methods, gain knowledge on the nuances of differential diagnosis and to provide a culturally and FASD-informed comprehensive assessment of FASD. 3. Participants will be able to identify the evidence-based treatments for FASD and gain knowledge about how to best advocate for children and teens with FASD within various systems.