The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Diagnostic Guidelines for Aotearoa (New Zealand) 2024
Published: 12 April 2024
Author: Hāpai te Hauora - Aotearoa (NZ) FASD Guidelines Development Project Team
This guideline details recommendations and principles required for the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in Aotearoa (NZ). These guidelines were developed by a tāngata tiriti and tāngata whenua project team at Hāpai te Hauora, supported by a steering group and multiple advisory groups, and funded by Te Whatu Ora. The approach to developing the guidelines included co-design with lived experience whānau and health professionals which highlighted the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Māori understandings of health and wellbeing, and whānau voice.
The guideline provides a consistent and relevant framework for appropriate use in the distinct context of Aotearoa (NZ) in order to meet the Government’s commitment to improving outcomes for Māori, health equity, and child health and well-being. This guideline is written for clinicians and professionals working in the assessment and diagnosis of FASD in a health context.
The guideline is organised into five sections.
- Section 1: Whakapapa of the knowledge and evidence. This section outlines the knowledge base that has guided the development of this guideline which includes Te Tiriti o Waitangi, themes from wānanga and hui with key stakeholders, Te Ao Māori frameworks, international diagnostic guidelines, research evidence and literature and other practice guidelines.
- Section 2: The diagnostic guideline. The first part includes an overview of diagnosis and assessment, referral considerations, guidance for a holistic assessment, Te Ao Māori and Pacific models, and considerations for other communities that may experience barriers to care. The second part is clinical guidance to assessment principles and criteria. The last part is about important considerations and resources for feedback, and post diagnosis support.
- Section 3: Provides recommendations and next steps for future service development and research.
- Section 4: Evaluation. Provides a summary of evaluation methods. The first being Critical Tiriti Analysis and the second details the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework (GRADE; Schünemann, et al., 2013) which helped to establish the clinical criteria.
A glossary and reference list follows before further guidance is outlined in Appendix A: Neurodevelopmental assessment considerations and Appendix B Communication assessment considerations.
The guideline is complimented with a series of four reports that detail the rationale, process and evidence that informed the development of the guidelines for Aotearoa.
- Whakakotahitanga: Guideline development approach
- Whakakotahitanga: Findings from stakeholder engagement
- Whakakotahitanga: Literature review
- Whakakotahitanga: Critical Tiriti Analysis