A Primer on FASD

The developmental trajectory of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz is a textbook example of undiagnosed fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Using the Cruz case as a teaching platform, this chapter summarizes the history of this brain-based disability—from its initial identification over 50 years ago, through decades of untarnished scientific support but somewhat convoluted diagnostic and terminology history, to its marked relevance today in the legal context—a bumpy ride not unlike that of its similar neurodevelopmental “sibling,” intellectual disability. The primary message here is that FASD is a severe lifelong disorder but not one without hope if diagnosis and interventions occur early enough to prevent tragedy, which only can happen if professionals know enough about the condition to detect and understand its “red flags.”