The following books on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder have been reviewed for the Harried Parent's Book Club. They are sorted by Guide Rating, with five stars being best.
1. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Effects: Strategies for Professionals
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
Don't let the subtitle fool you -- this booklet may have been written for chemical dependency professionals, but it's a topnotch resource for parents as well. Short, cheap and easy to read, it goes beyond a basic description of FAS to provide useful ways of thinking about and dealing with its challenges. Amazing how such a slim volume makes so much sense out of such a confounding disorder. 5 Stars
2. Tiny Titan
Cover image courtesy of Better Endings, New Beginnings.
For all its length, I blew through this book in a weekend. It's the kind of read where you strap yourself in and hang on for dear life as it pulls you through episodes of incredible grief, struggle, challenge, triumph, tragedy, risk and reward. If it was a novel, you'd never believe it, but it's one family's true story. And what a family. 4.5 Stars
3. Damaged Angels
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
Like most FASD memoirs, this one is full of tragic and scary choices that will make you want to hold your child a little tighter. The fact that author Bonnie Buxton's daughter survives to the end of the book and seems headed for a better future makes it a relatively upbeat entry in the genre. 4 Stars
4. Finding Perspective: Raising Successful Children Affected by FASD
Cover photo courtesy of Liz Lawryk
With so many sad, downbeat, hopeless books about parenting children with fetal alcohol exposure on the shelves, any volume that remains upbeat and provides a useful course of action gets a thumbs-up from me. The three-step plan is pretty good advice for other behavioral challenges, too. 4 Stars
5. Reaching Out to Children With FAS/FAE
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
Some books have lots of theory and research and very few practical suggestions to actually act on. This book is all about the practical. Filled with checklists, samples, and activities, it's a good companion to FAS/FAE books that tell you why but not how. It's helpful for anyone who deals with an affected child on a daily basis. 4 Stars
6. Recognizing and Managing Children with FAS/FAE: A Guidebook
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
Drawing on her experience as a therapist and adoptive mother of two children with FAS/E, author Brenda McCreight offers some good general information on FAS/E and some specific information that may or may not fit your child. 3 Stars
