Episode two: Rethinking FASD: Diagnosis, Support and Systemic Change

Dr. Gurpreet (Preety) Salh is a pediatrician and researcher affiliated with the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute. Her work focuses on understanding and improving diagnosis and treatment for developmental disabilities, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Dr. Salh takes an intersectional approach to her research, with particular interest in how prenatal alcohol and substance exposure intersect with complex trauma experienced in early childhood. Her work recognizes the significant adversity experienced by many children diagnosed with FASD.

In this episode, developmental pediatrician Dr. Gurpreet (Preety) Salh explores the complexities of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), including challenges with diagnosis, the influence of social and systemic factors, and the diverse ways neurodevelopmental differences can present. She examines emerging questions about the precision of current diagnostic frameworks and the importance of considering factors such as trauma, poverty and genetic conditions.

Dr. Salh also shares practical guidance for health professionals, including how to ask about prenatal alcohol exposure sensitively and without judgment, recognize a child's individual strengths and challenges, and navigate available supports. The conversation highlights the importance of looking beyond a diagnostic label to better understand and respond to the needs of children and families.