Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Effects on Speech and

Language
Chey Robertson, Haley Rolf,
Kristina Hanson, Kortni Thompson,
Jessica Landsman

October 5, 2015

What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a condition of the fetus caused by the excess consumption of alcohol by
the mother during pregnancy. Individuals with FAS may have a combination of several malformations
such as prenatal or postnatal growth retardation, craniofacial abnormalities, nervous system defects,
learning disabilities, malformations of the skeletal system and organs. The severity of the effects differ
depending on the level of the embryological development when exposed to alcohol.

Origins of Disability and Prevalence:

While the research on FAS all comes from the last few decades, the negative associations between
pregnancy and alcohol has long been suspected. The Center of Disease Control (CDC) estimates that
between 2-5% of the population of the United States and some western European countries have been
diagnosed with FAS .

What the Research Shows:

FAS has serious effects on all aspects of a childs speech and language abilities but narrative
discourse has proven to have the most impacted. This aspect of language is important because
it allows a child to tell a story that includes all pertinent information. Children with FAS struggle
the most with retelling a story and generating spontaneous narratives that include story
cohesion and story coherence. Story cohesion is the ability to connect a sequence of events in
a story while story coherence is the ability to be informative when giving a narrative. More
children have difficulty producing adequate spontaneous narratives as opposed to retelling a
story.

Asking for Help:

Early identification and intervention is crucial for helping individuals with FAS. Parents should consult
their doctor to better understand each individual case of FAS. The National Organization of Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome is an excellent resource for parents and loved ones of individuals diagnosed with FAS. The

Families Moving Forward Program also aids children with FAS and their families in dealing with the
difficulties associated with the syndrome. Contact information can be found online or at your doctors
office.

References:
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Coggins, T., Freit, T., & Morgan, T. (1998). Analysing narrative productions in older school-age
children and adolescents with fetal alcohol syndrome: An experimental tool for clinical
applications. Clinical linguistics and phonetics, 12(3), 221-236. Retrieved September 19, 2015,
from http://depts.washington.edu/FASpn/pdfs/narrprod.pdf
Coggins, T., Timler, G., & Olswang, L. (2007). A state of double jeopardy: Impact of prenatal
alcohol exposure and adverse environments on the social communicative abilities of school-age
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Receptive Language Disorder | Treatment and Communication. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30,
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Teaching Students with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/BC Ministry of Education/Special Education (no
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