Occupational therapy's whole-person approach is well-suited to address the complex needs of children and youth with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). However, literature regarding best practices for occupational therapy practitioners working with this population is lacking. This article delineates the role and scope of occupational therapy practice for children and youth with FASD, focusing on holistic and strengths-based approaches. The value of occupational therapy practice is illustrated through application of the person-environment-occupation-performance model and case examples at key developmental stages. Understanding occupational therapy's scope of practice will support the growth of the profession's role and facilitate successful participation of children with FASD in everyday life.
Keywords: Children and youth; fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD); occupational therapy; prenatal alcohol exposure; strengths-based intervention.