Building on the success of our Multidisciplinary Assessments, we are excited to introduce our next vital service initiative: Multidisciplinary Assessments for Children Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol. This specialized service is designed to provide comprehensive, evidence-based evaluations to better understand and support the unique needs of children with suspected or confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure.

FACTS ABOUT FASD:

• Almost 50% of pregnancies in Canada are unplanned.

• There is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Any amount of alcohol, at any time, puts the baby at risk.

• FASD is a permanent, life-long brain injury

• FASD is one of the leading known causes of developmental disability in the western world.

• FASD affects (conservatively) 4% of Canadians, making the prevalence of FASD greater than autism (which is about 2% in CDA)

In Canada, the 2016 Canadian Guidelines for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Diagnosis are the gold standard for evidence-based assessment. We have developed our assessment process with input from the Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network (CanFASD) and Fetal Alcohol Nova Scotia (FANS) to arrive at an intentional, structured, multidisciplinary approach to assessing FASD in children and youth.

Key Components of our diagnostic process:

• Multidisciplinary Assessment: A team-based approach involving professionals with specialized training in FASD diagnosis, including psychologists, pediatrician, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists. Each clinician evaluates specific aspects of functioning to provide a comprehensive understanding of the individual's strengths and challenges. We uphold a family-centered approach, prioritizing trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive care, recognizing the importance of family involvement throughout the assessment process.

• Comprehensive Medical and Exposure History: Diagnosis requires careful documentation of prenatal alcohol exposure when available. Physical examination assesses growth parameters and characteristic facial features, including short palpebral fissures, a smooth philtrum, and a thin upper lip.

• Neurodevelopmental Assessment: We carefully evaluate ten key neurodevelopmental domains, with significant impairment in at least three domains supporting a diagnosis of FASD. These domains include:

  • Motor Skills

  • Neuroanatomy/Neurophysiology

  • Cognition

  • Language

  • Academic Achievement

  • Memory

  • Attention

  • Executive Functioning

  • Affect Regulation

  • Adaptive Behavior, Social Skills, or Social Communication

By adhering to these best-practice guidelines, clinicians can provide accurate diagnoses that inform individualized supports and interventions, ultimately improving outcomes for children with FASD and their families.

Because this assessment involves different professional disciplines (psych, OT, SLP), families are able to submit under different private insurance allotments for different components of the assessment, effectively increasing their reimbursement overall.  We are also able to issue invoices under each participant in the assessment – so, for instance, parent interviews and results meetings can be invoiced and reimbursed under parents’ insurance allotments.   

If you are potentially interested in this assessment option,  we can set up an Initial Intake Appointment to map out exactly what the assessment will look like – including a detailed assessment quote.