Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

? QUESTIONS ? What if I only drink a little while pregnant? I don’t drink the hard stuff… is that okay? Will I be okay if I stop the last few months. Beer doesn’t count, does it?

What is FASD? FASD is a brain injury that can occur when an unborn baby is exposed to alcohol.  It’s a lifelong disorder with effects that include physical, mental, behavioral and learning disabilities. These can vary from mild to severe. Often the effects of FASD do not present themselves in a person until they are several years old

Any amount can have some effect, so there is no minimum amount of alcohol in pregnancy that is safe. Alcohol (wine, beer, or liquor) is the leading known preventable cause of mental and physical birth defects. If a pregnant woman drinks any alcohol at any time during pregnancy, the alcohol crosses the placenta to the fetus. Alcohol damages the developing cells of the fetus. The brain and central nervous system are particularly sensitive to alcohol and can suffer permanent damage.

Despite being so widespread, FASD is significantly under-diagnosed among the Canadian population. Why?

Signs and Symptoms low birth weight small head circumference failure to thrive developmental delay organ dysfunction facial abnormalities, including smaller eye openings, flattened cheekbones, and indistinct philtrum (an underdeveloped groove between the nose and the upper lip) epilepsy

Different degrees of brain damage that may include: learning memory attention language social skills motor skills controlling behaviour reasoning and judgement academics like math and reading

Physical impairments vision kidney hearing heart and bones

Problems with behaviors may look like being impulsive acting out from frustration not understanding consequences being unfocused and easily distracted difficulties with keeping up with classroom learning forgetting how to do something they’ve done before a hard time with handling money or learning how to tell time

Secondary disabilities mental health problems (like depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder) dropping out of, or disrupting, school trouble with the law chronic unemployment alcohol and drug problems homelessness.

In Canada – Don’t write this In Canada, about 15% of women use alcohol during pregnancy. FAS occurs in about 1 of every 500 to 3,000 live births each year. It is also estimated that about 1,000 babies will be born with FAE each year. The lack of awareness of the effects of alcohol on a developing fetus is one reason for the high incidence of FAS and FAE.

FASD by numbers Canada 300,000 (or 1:100) The number of Canadians affected by FASD. Since FASD often goes undiagnosed, the actual prevalence is likely much greater. 80% Percentage of people with FASD who are raised by someone other than their parents. 95% Percentage of people with FASD who also have a mental illness. 60% Percentage of people with FASD over 12 years old who have been charged with, or convicted of, a crime. 55% Percentage of people with ARND who will be confined in prison, drug/alcohol treatment centres, or psychiatric institutions. $21,642 The total annual adjusted costs associated with each person with FASD. $5.3 billion The annual cost to the country of those with FASD from day of birth to age 53.

FASD by the Numbers: U.S 94% of individuals with an FASD also have a mental illness 50% of adolescents and adults displayed inappropriate sexual behavior 60% of people with an FASD have a history of trouble with the law 50% of individuals with an FASD have a history of confinement in a jail, prison, residential drug treatment facility, or psychiatric hospital 73-80% of children with full-blown FAS are in foster or adoptive placement FASD is 10-15 times more prevalent in the foster care system than in the general population. 61% of adolescents with an FASD experienced significant school disruptions

For help We have a Center of Excellence for FASD in New Brunswick.

Don’t write this What is the cost to society of FASD? FASD costs $6 billion annually in the United States. It costs $1.4 million lifetime to treat one person with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfGsw UeK_hg&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKeP WNpoAuw&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khAkB 9kUrto&feature=related