Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) affects 381,000 people and nearly 1 in 10 children in Ireland, leaving the country with the third highest incidence rate in the world.

The disorder, which is an umbrella term for 3 alcohol-related conditions developed during pregnancy, is a neurological disability which can affect brain processing such as sensory functions.

FASD is caused by a foetus being exposed to alcohol during conception or pregnancy, from either parent. Experts claim that consuming a single drink is enough to cause the disorder, something 81% of women living in Ireland have done.

On The Pat Kenny Show, Tristan Casson-Rennie, founder and CEO of advocacy group FASD Ireland, said that FASD poses a daily challenge to those living with the condition.

He differentiated between FASD and Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), a condition included in the FASD umbrella, where children are born with facial dysmorphism. He said FAS affects “10% of the overall FASD cohort.”

Mr. Casson-Rennie also noted that there are 428 different recognised conditions associated with FASD.

“Ireland is an outlier” for FASD support

Mr. Casson-Rennie said that Ireland was an outlier when compared to countries in Europe and the wider world by “not having a diagnostic pathway for FASD.”

He said multidisciplinary teams are needed before a child can be determined to be suffering from FASD, with several steps required before a positive diagnosis can be reached.

These steps include analysing parents’ exposure to alcohol, blood tests to determine whether symptoms are due to a child’s genetic makeup, and evidence of several of the 428 conditions associated with the disorder.

Consequences of FASD

Mr. Casson-Rennie noted that studies have found that the average life expectancy of those living with FASD is 34.

Additionally, other research showed that those living with FASD are “19 times more likely to engage with the judicial system.”

He said this is due to an “impacted short-term memory and a lack of impulse control.”

Demands

Mr. Casson-Rennie called on the government to recognise FASD “and instigate a public health awareness campaign so that people are aware of the risks of prenatal alcohol exposure.”

Additionally, he wants Ireland to develop a diagnosis pathway; “We need clinicians to be trained, and we need a clinical lead at the HSE.”

Lastly, Mr. Casson-Rennie said a framework for support for those living with FASD must be created, as many adults living with FASD “fall through the cracks.”