Health Professionals

 FASD Diagnosis

When diagnosing FASD doctors and health professionals may look for:

• Sentinel facial features including a thin upper lip, a smooth philtrum, the groove between the upper lip and the nose, as well as small eye openings.
• Lower-than-average height, weight, or both
• Small head size
• Concentration problems and hyperactivity
• Poor coordination and
• Prenatal alcohol exposure

Australian FASD Diagnostic Instrument

The FASD Diagnostic Instrument was released in 2016 with a Guide and the online eLearning modules to support clinicians to make a FASD diagnosis using the national standardised diagnostic criteria and provide the foundation to improve rates of diagnoses of FASD in Australia.

The Guide includes:

• forms and assessment resources
• referral and screening guidelines and 
• information sheets

The eLearning modules include:

• Module 1: What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?
• Module 2: Alcohol use in pregnancy
• Module 3: Conducting a diagnostic assessment (includes 3 sub modules)
• Module 4: Referral and screening guidelines for FASD
• Module 5: Support and intervention after diagnosis

Australian Guide to the Diagnosis of FASD

The Australian Guide to the Diagnosis of FASD was released in 2016 to assist clinicians in the diagnosis, referral and management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It contains:

• the Australian FASD Diagnostic Instrument
• information about how to use the instrument
• diagnostic criteria for FASD, which were agreed following a review of existing guidelines and consultation with clinical experts
• assessment of Sentinel Facial Features
• printable assessment forms
• consent forms
• information sheets

No FASD resources

• No FASD Fact sheets
• No FASD - FASD Characteristics across the Lifespan (PDF 90.1kb)
• No FASD - Strategies for supporting Information Processing
• No FASD - Strategies for developing Memory
• No FASD - Strategies for identifying patterns and connections
• No FASD - Strategies for supporting sensory issues and attention
• No FASD - Strategies for improving sleeping and eating
• No FASD - FASD Resources, Activities and Apps for Teachers and Families

Telethon Kids Institute resources

View the Health Resources page to view:

• links to eLearning modules 
• videos
• brochures and
• statistics

Women want to know project resources

View the Australian Government Department of Health Women Want to know project resources:

• online eLearning courses
• brochures
• videos and 
• governance 

View all 8 Women Want to Know videos

Government of WA - Drug and Alcohol Office resources

View the Health Professionals page to view:

• fact sheets
• resources
• clinical guidelines and policies
• best practice indicators
• regulatory requirements and 
• resources for working with aboriginal people

A Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Model of Care resource and website have been developed  to prioritise the use of prevention strategies to reduce the prevalence of FASD.

The FASD handbook for health professionals

This Handbook provides a range of fact sheets, information and strategies relating to FASD for Health Professionals.