Sandra Flach shares her family's journey with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and provides essential knowledge for foster and adoptive parents raising children with prenatal alcohol exposure.

• FASD affects 1 in 20 children in the United States—more prevalent than autism
• Only 10% of children with FASD display the facial features needed for diagnosis
• Prenatal alcohol exposure permanently alters brain structure and function
• There is no safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy and no safe time to drink
• Symptoms often intensify during teenage years as executive function demands increase
• Children with FASD may be chronologically one age but developmentally much younger
• Brain-based parenting focuses on understanding behaviors as brain differences
• Breaking tasks into smaller steps and creating routines helps children succeed
• Helping children understand their diagnosis empowers them to self-advocate
• The Justice for Orphans website and "Hope for the FASD Journey" support group provide resources

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The Link to Sandra's website is JusticeForOrphansNY.org

You can find her at:

Instagram: @afc_journey and @sandraflach_jfo

Facebook: @the Adoption & Foster Care Journey and @Sandra Flach 

Connect with me on Instagram:
@nicoletbarlow https://www.instagram.com/nicoletbarlow/
Website: https://nicoletbarlow.com/