Fetal Alcohol Syndrome challenges children and families in Poland

Children born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) in Poland face significant challenges due to a lack of official diagnoses and insufficient state support. The number of children born with alcohol-induced brain damage annually is estimated to be large enough to fill over 300 school classrooms.

Those living with FAS face a statistically low average life expectancy of 30 to 34 years. Families and adoptive parents report that the current legal framework and lack of institutional understanding make it difficult to provide necessary care. Małgorzata Korolczuk, president of the FASMisja Foundation, emphasizes the need for better recognition of these developmental disorders by parents and educators to prevent the social stigma and bullying these children often endure.