Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a Kākou Thing

The nature of prenatal alcohol use is as complex as the spectrum of conditions that can occur as a result. “One cannot assume they know or understand why a person drinks alcohol during pregnancy,” but families will only “be as comfortable answering your questions as you are asking them (AAP, 2025). While diagnosing of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is not necessarily the role of a community or public health worker, learning about family history, developing trust, and supporting healthy development are. Because FASDs are very often “undiagnosed or misdiagnosed” (NIAAA, 2024), all service and care providers are a collective and important part of the process of asking important questions and helping families feel safe to move towards the right kinds of resources for them.