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Thursday, November 26, 2020

Alcohol News - 47/2020

The National (Scotland) - Drink-related deaths fall in Scotland as minimum unit pricing 'starts to save lives'
CHANGES to alcohol prices are starting to have an impact on public health as deaths from drink fall, a charity has suggested.
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Alcohol Focus Scotland - Alcohol Deaths and Minimum Unit Pricing
Yesterday the National Records for Scotland published data on alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland in 2019. These figures are of interest to anyone looking to prevent alcohol deaths. One of the most significant policies which has been put in place at a national level in Scotland to help reduce deaths and improve health is Minimum Unit Price. We asked Colin Angus, from the University of Sheffield team which developed the model for the 50p per unit MUP in place in Scotland since 2018, to look at what the alcohol-specific death stats tell us about MUP.
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CBS News (USA) - Pennsylvania limiting alcohol sales at bars and restaurants on Thanksgiving eve in effort to fight coronavirus
Pennsylvania officials on Monday issued a stay-at-home advisory and announced they will restrict alcohol sales in bars and restaurants starting at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving eve in an effort to combat the rise of new coronavirus cases and an alarming rate of hospitalizations in the state.
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Addiction Center (USA) - More Young Adults Are Abstaining From Alcohol
Historically, young adults and alcohol have meshed together like coffee and cream. Whether at a party or group outing, alcohol has always been a staple in American social events. Surprisingly, the trend seems to be changing. More Millennials and Gen Z are abstaining from alcohol more than ever before. They are cutting down or choosing not to drink at all.
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Stuff (New Zealand) - Emergency docs want tighter controls on alcohol, as snapshot shows EDs under pressure
Emergency doctors are calling for alcohol to be made less easily available and more expensive after their annual snapshot again found alcohol-related cases put pressure on hospital emergency departments.
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Metro (UK) - Millions drinking more heavily due to coronavirus pandemic
Millions of people are drinking more heavily due to the coronavirus pandemic, a leading charity has said. Alcohol Change UK surveyed drinkers to find out the effect of lockdown and the virus.
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NordAN (Iceland) - Dramstad and Juslin: Restricting foreign-based online alcohol retailers is better than allowing profit motives into alcohol sales
The proposal to allow online and producer sales of alcohol on Iceland risks clashing with EU-law and the Icelandic Minister of Justice should consider other options, write Kalle Dramstad and Emil Juslin, Brussels-based experts on EU alcohol policy.
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Health Policy and Planning - Drink, but don't drive? The alcohol industry’s involvement in global road safety
Drink-driving is a major cause of global road traffic fatalities, yet few countries have laws that meet international best practices. One possible reason is the alcohol industry’s opposition to meaningful policies that are perceived to directly threaten sales.
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CapeTalk (South Africa) - 6 booze restrictions proposed to govt, policy advisor reveals
The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in South Africa (SAAPA SA) has advised the command council to introduce tougher restrictions on booze.
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Stuff - Excessive alcohol abuse identified as risk factor in dementsia
The Kiwi love affair with alcohol, including an entrenched binge drinking culture, could add to the rising rates of dementia forecast to hit the nation by 2050.
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Admac Oncology - An association between Alcohol consumption and Cancer
Extreme alcohol drinking in any way is injurious to health. It is said that drinking in moderate amounts can be beneficial for cardiovascular health. Moderation alcohol drinking defined as no more than 3 drinks a day for males (maximum 15 a week) and 2 drinks a day for females (maximum 10 a week). This amount is known as low-risk drinking.
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Balance NE - Alcohol and cancer: A consultant's perspective
NHS Consultant Peter Davis from the Northern Cancer Alliance explains how alcohol can increase the risk of developing seven different types of cancer.
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Euronews (Sweden) - Coronavirus: Sweden introduces alcohol curfew as 'superspreader events' are curbed
A nationwide ban on the sale of alcohol in bars and restaurants after 10 p.m. comes into effect across Sweden from Friday. It's another measure being introduced by Stockholm to curb the rising spread of COVID-19 cases after gatherings were limited to eight people.
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Adelaide Now (Australia) - Fears Uber-style booze home delivery in SA will see spike in alcohol härm
A new plan to allow home delivery of booze may result in an increase of alcohol-related harm, SA’s peak drug and alcohol services organisation says.
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Alcohol Health Alliance (UK) - ‘It’s everywhere’ – alcohol’s public face and private harm: The report of the Commission on Alcohol Harm (2020)
The Commission on Alcohol Harm was established to examine the current evidence on alcohol harm, recent trends in alcohol harm and the changes needed to reduce the harm caused by alcohol.
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Great Lakes Advocate (Australia) - Time to reflect on role alcohol plays in lives
Being locked down during a global pandemic is a time we'll never forget. Home schooling, working from home, social distancing - our lives were on hold.
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The BMJ - Managing alcohol use in primary care
People who struggle with alcohol problems are stigmatised in extraordinary ways. The UK treatment system has been partly dismantled and cheaper provision outside the National Health Service accepted.
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The American Journal of Psychiatry - Why Timing Matters in Alcohol Use Disorder Recovery
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a dynamic condition marked by changes in a constellation of brain structures and functional concomitants that evolve with chronically excessive consumption and that change again with alcohol abstinence.
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Sunday, November 22, 2020

FASD News - 46/2020

News Medical - Researchers highlight gap in effective mental health and substance use treatment options for people with FASD
This week, a team of researchers and partners published findings that show a startling gap in the evidence about treatment for mental health and substance use challenges for people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
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Toronto Star (Canada) - Support worker aims to erase FASD stigma through education
A Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) support worker in Victoria says stigma in her line of work has led to a lack of information that’s available for families.
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Kore Biomedical Review (South Korea) - EUMC opens Asia’s 1st fetal alcohol syndrome prevention Center
Ewha Womans University Medical Center (EUMC) Thursday opened the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Prevention Center for the first time in Asia to promote a healthy life for women and children.
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Stuff (New Zealand) - A documentary three years in the making: How Stuff Circuit's Emma was created
Stuff Circuit’s Emma tells the story of 27-year-old Emma Barrett and her journey to Russia to find her biological family. Barrett, born with fetal alcohol syndrome, was adopted and brought to live in New Zealand in the 1990s. She grew up not knowing if she had any family in Russia, or if they wanted to meet her.
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Celcis - We need to talk about FASD
This Adoption Week Scotland, Barbara Ogston, FASD Advisor in the FASD Hub Scotland, managed by Adoption UK, who is an adoptive parent, discusses the impact of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) within the care community, and why it’s vital that children and families receive the support they need.
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BBC News (Scotland) - My adopted son's life was changed by alcohol in pregnancy
When Lorna took the leap to adopt, she had no idea her new family could be living with the effects of alcohol for the rest of their lives.
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Our Sacred Breath - HOW TO CREATE COLLEGE PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH FASD
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is 2.5 times more common than autism (Flannigan, Unsworth, & Harding, 2018). Yet as the most common of all developmental disabilities it remains largely unrecognized and supported.
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CanFASD - Book Review: FASD and the Online World
Every parent struggles with managing the internet and social media for their child(ren) but there are additional worries when it comes to raising a child with FASD in this digital world.  There are not many resources available to assist with managing the online world with individuals with FASD but this new book by Dr. Ira Chasnoff is a useful one.
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AdoptionUK - Half and Hour Changes the View – An FASD Diagnosis
It’s only taken two year since we first met them and 4 years since we first voiced our concerns. but we have left today with a FASD diagnosis with the sentinel facial features (SFF).
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 VIDEOS and MATERIALS

Spotlight on FASD - Podcast Episode 6 - An interview with Dr Raja Mukherjee, Part One

In this weeks episode, part 1 of our very first guest interview, we welcome the one and only Dr Raja Mukherjee. With almost 20 years experience he’s a big deal in the FASD world so this episode is definitely one not to be missed! Come back next week to listen to part 2!
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Osmosis - Fetal alcohol syndrome - causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology
What is fetal alcohol syndrome? Fetal alcohol syndrome, or FAS, occurs because of maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy.
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Inclusion Collaborative - Cognitive Supports for Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (Part I)
A recent study estimated that anywhere from 1.1 to 5% of children in the US have an FASD*, making it the most frequent developmental disability in the nation. However, very few educational professionals are given FASD-specific training or an understanding of how FASD impacts the brain and, therefore, how it impacts a child’s learning experience and behaviors.
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Inclusion Collaborative - Cognitive Supports for Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (Part II)
A recent study estimated that anywhere from 1.1 to 5% of children in the US have an FASD*, making it the most frequent developmental disability in the nation. However, very few educational professionals are given FASD-specific training or an understanding of how FASD impacts the brain and, therefore, how it impacts a child’s learning experience and behaviors.
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QNI Scotland - Scottish Government launches FASD eLearning resource
The Scottish Government has just launched its free FASD eLearning resource on the NHS Education for Scotland (NES) website. QNIS welcomes this essential online learning resource. It could have significant benefits for professionals and the individuals/families affected if widely used and shared.
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Manitoba FASD Coalition - Looking After Each Other Virtual Gathering - Session 1: The Seven Sacred Teachings
This video is the first of three Virtual Gathering sessions focusing on healthy families which took place on September 30th, 2020. It features Elder Dr. Dave Courchene and Grandmother Florence Paynter delivering the The Seven Sacred Teachings.
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FASD AWARENESS (UK) - USEFUL RESOURCES
Links to FASD information posters, videos and downloads.
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Laughing Bird - How to deal with it | FASD
For all of you guys that do not know I moved into a new place(large place) on Halloween. And one of my projects is to work on the grooming shed so I can have some clients. It's taking a lot longer than we thought.
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College Of Science SJSU - Long term changes in metabolism and gene expression in a Drosophila model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Developmental alcohol exposure causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which is the biggest cause of preventable intellectual disability worldwide.
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Me and My FASD – Welcome to Me and My FASD
Here you will find lots of fun and interesting things to help you learn about FASD.
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PreventionInstitute1 - FASD: Let’s Change the Conversation and Challenge the Stigma
It is not easy to talk about FASD. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is complex. Much of the conversation around FASD makes it more complicated and increases stigma.
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FASD Hub - FASD Research Australia Awards & Celebration: Shining a light on FASD
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FASD Hub - FASD Virtual Seminar – Education
Hear from educators, researchers and parents across Australia & New Zealand helping children, teenagers and young adults with FASD navigate the education system.
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NationalFASD - FASD: Preferred UK Language Guide
The National Organisation for FASD and Seashell are pleased to announce the launch the new FASD: Preferred UK Language Guide produced through their partnership project, “Resources and Training to Support Children and Young People with FASD,” funded by the Department of Health.
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DryMester - BIRTHDAY TRAILER
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Adoption Week Scotland - A Conversation with Aubrey Page on FASD
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PreventFASD.info - The Competition: Get Creative! You will change lives
We are looking for creative ideas to prevent tens of thousands being born each year in the UK with lifelong damage to their brains and bodies from alcohol exposure in pregnancy. Get creative! Send us a video, a poster, a song, a poem, an idea for a campaign. It’s time to make some noise!
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CanFASD - Towards Healthy Outcomes for Individuals with FASD
All human beings are motivated to experience purpose and success. It is not enough to ‘get by’ in life, rather we must feel as though we are achieving expectations set by us and others. People of all abilities need to feel as though they have a purpose and that they are able to meaningfully contribute to society.
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COMING UP
Alcohol Forum, To Create & Inspire Change  - Alcohol & The Rights of the Child - Webinar 2
Join us looking at challenges for people with #FASD; their families; learn about the impact that parental substance misuse can have on children.
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Indiana NOFAS - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder 101 – FASD 101
Are you a parent, caregiver, or service provider to a child who has trouble seeing the connection between choices and consequences, has difficulty with age-appropriate attentiveness, continues to make poor choices no matter how much appropriate instruction they receive, and who struggles to hold it together at even the smallest disruption of routine?
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ABLE2 - FASD Symposium Registration Information
The 2021 Symposium is a virtual event. Attendees will be able to participate online (virtually) from home or office from all parts of Canada and the United States.
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RESEARCH
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Glutathione Protects the Developing Heart from Defects and Global DNA Hypomethylation Induced by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), the intake of ethanol (C2H5OH) during pregnancy. Features of FASD cover a range of structural and functional defects including congenital heart defects (CHDs).
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Brain Sciences - Sleep and Cognition in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) experience significantly higher rates of sleep disturbances than their typically developing peers.
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Nutrients - Choline Plus Working Memory Training Improves Prenatal Alcohol-Induced Deficits in Cognitive Flexibility and Functional Connectivity in Adulthood in Rats
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the leading known cause of intellectual disability, and may manifest as deficits in cognitive function, including working memory. Working memory capacity and accuracy increases during adolescence when neurons in the prefrontal cortex undergo refinement.
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Drug and Alcohol Dependence - The prevalence, child characteristics, and maternal risk factors for the continuum of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: A sixth population-based study in the same South African community
Seventeen years after the first study in this community, FASD prevalence remains high at 16% to 31%. The FAS rate may have declined somewhat, but rates of PFAS and ARND seemed to plateau, at a high rate.
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Scientific reports - Hospitalizations and mortality among patients with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: a prospective study
With nearly 10% of women consuming alcohol during pregnancy, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are becoming an increasing concern for clinicians and policymakers interested in the field of healthcare.
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Birth Defects Research - Examination of cortically projecting cholinergic neurons following exercise and environmental intervention in a rodent model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
We examined the cytoarchitectonics of cholinergic neurons in NBM and PFC in adulthood following early postnatal AE and two interventions. We show that AE reduces ChAT+ neuron number in NBM, and this is not mitigated by either intervention.
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Research Square - Pregnant Women’s Knowledge About Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy and its Consequences: An Israeli Survey
A high percentage of pregnant women in Israel drank alcohol close to conception and during pregnancy. Although most of the woman ceased drinking after realizing they were pregnant, a still-worrying percentage continued consuming alcohol and had low knowledge and awareness of the plausible dangers of this behavior.
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Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Altered Resting‐State Neural Oscillations and Spectral Power in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Our results were consistent with previous studies and provide new insight into resting‐state oscillatory differences both between children with FAS and TDC, and within FASD subgroups.
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Nelson Mandela University - Awareness, knowledge and practices with regards to alcohol use of pregnant women in the Missionvale area
South African statistics, when compared to global statistics, has an above-average occurrence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder(FASD). Alcohol use during pregnancy is on the rise globally and has far-reaching consequences.
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Clinical Oral Investigations - The oral health status and treatment needs of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Children with FASD may be at a higher risk for poor oral health outcomes and have more extensive treatment needs. Our results indicate that they may also be at a higher risk for treatment under GA.
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Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy - Is it FASD? And does it matter? Swedish perspectives on diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term covering a range of conditions related to prenatal alcohol exposure. In Sweden, only the most severe of these conditions, Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), is used as a medical diagnosis.
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Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Prevention of Alcohol‐Exposed Pregnancies and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women: A Systematic Review
The current review identified variable results from available interventions to prevent alcohol use among pregnant and postpartum women.
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Alcoholism: Clinical and Experiment Research - A Systematic Review of Interventions to Improve Mental Health and Substance Use Outcomes for Individuals with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Combined, these studies provide preliminary and emerging evidence for a range of intervention approaches that may support positive outcomes for individuals with FASD across the life course.
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Neuropsychiatrie - Challenge abstinence-a case report and overview on therapy of alcohol dependence during pregnancy
The potentially deleterious and teratogen effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy are an important medical as well as socio-economic topic.
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Am Psychiatric Assoc - Considering Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in a Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Framework
Although alcohol is considered a teratogen, there is a lack of clarity about the nature of the association between prenatal alcohol exposure, particularly low-level exposure, and offspring development in part because of the potential for unmeasured factors to play a role.
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Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Glutathione Protects the Developing Heart from Defects and Global DNA Hypomethylation Induced by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
GSH supplementation shows promise to inhibit effects of PAE by improving survival, reducing the incidence of morphological defects including CHDs, and preventing global hypomethylation of DNA in heart tissues.
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npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine - Smoke and Alcohol Free with EHealth and Rewards (SAFER) pregnancy study: a before−after study protocol
The primary outcome measure is cessation of smoking and/or alcohol use at 34−38 weeks of gestation, or after six group sessions if women did not become pregnant during the study period. Secondary outcomes focus on the barriers and facilitators for implementation of the SAFER pregnancy intervention.
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Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Prevention of Alcohol‐Exposed Pregnancies and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women: A Systematic Review
The current review identified variable results from available interventions to prevent alcohol use among pregnant and postpartum women. Preliminary evidence demonstrated that BIs may be effective among subgroups of pregnant women with higher initial alcohol consumption, those with partner involvement, and those who used alcohol and other substances concurrently.
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J Korean Soc Matern Child Health. - Analysis of Drinking Related to Health Behaviors during Pregnancy: Focus on Community Health Survey Data
Several factors are associated with drinking during pregnancy. To improve health promotion during pregnancy, alcohol prevention programs should be developed that consider one’s socioeconomic status and health behaviors.
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The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse - Alcohol messages disseminated to pregnant women by midwives
Concerted efforts are needed to ensure information disseminated aligns with health guidelines and encourages abstinence during pregnancy.
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Journal of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Risk and Prevention - Health Professionals are the Preferred Source of Information on Alcohol Use in Pregnancy for Australian Women: A National Survey
We identified where Australian women obtained information about alcohol during pregnancy, their preferred sources of information, and their perceptions of the role of health professionals in providing information.
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Health Economics - Pregnancy persistently reduces alcohol purchases: Causal evidence from scanner data
We analyze household‐level changes in alcohol consumption in response to pregnancy. Using scanner data, we identify households with a pregnant household member.
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Research in Developmental Disabilities - Yarning about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Outcomes of a community-based workshop
The current study identified key learnings from workshop facilitators and participants. The findings call attention to the importance of a co-design approach, where collaboration is vital to support the appropriate adaption of evidence-based practice to suit the local context.
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Thursday, November 19, 2020

Alcohol News - 46/2020

News Medical - Alcohol consumption before bedtime can impact quality of sleep
Think twice before drinking that holiday nightcap. Sure, that late-night cocktail or final glass of wine or beer before bed may help you feel sleepy, but it won't guarantee a good night's rest.
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Daily Mail (USA) - CDC holiday guidelines tell Americans not to sing, listen to loud music or drink ALCOHOL to prevent the spread of COVID-19
The holidays will look different this year as coronavirus cases surge across the country and new guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise Americans to forego caroling, loud music and even drinking alcohol.
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RTE.ie (Ireland) - Fines considered for outdoor groups drinking alcohol
The Government is considering fines of less than €300 for people gathering outside to drink alcohol, under proposals going to Cabinet.
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Science Daily - Chronic alcohol use reshapes the brain's immune landscape, driving anxiety and addiction
Deep within the brain, a small almond-shaped region called the amygdala plays a vital role in how we exhibit emotion, behavior and motivation; it's also strongly implicated in alcohol abuse.
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Phoenix Sun (South Africa) - Alcohol is the biggest inducer of crimes
A sample of 5068 of the cases reveal that 3578 incidents occurred in the homes of the perpetrators. Majority of the rape victims were women and 1000 rapes occurred in open places such as parks, beaches, parking areas and open fields.
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Glasgow Times (Scotland) - Campaign launched to ban all alcohol advertising in Scotland
A CAMPAIGN group has urged every candidate in next year’s Holyrood election to support a “total ban” on alcohol advertising. In its manifesto ahead of the vote in May, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) is pushing for parties to support four “focus areas” aimed at reducing alcohol-related harms.
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CBC (Canada) - Fort Simpson needs more resources to handle lifting of alcohol restrictions, say community leaders
Restrictions on the amount of liquor residents of Fort Simpson, N.W.T., can buy in a day will be lifted in the coming weeks, but the Liidlii Kue First Nation (LKFN) is concerned the community lacks the resources to meaningfully address a potential surge in alcohol consumption.
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Aberdeen Evening Express (Scotland) - Alcohol addiction warning as almost 24,000 Scots admitted to hospital in year
Scottish Labour has pushed for an increase in funding for alcohol addiction services amid fears of a “ticking health time bomb”.
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The Thaiger (Thailand) - Domestic violence on the rise amid falling incomes and rising alcohol consumption
The Thai Health Promotion Foundation says the Covid-19 pandemic may be causing a spike in domestic violence, as incomes fall, debt rises, and more people turn to alcohol.
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ABC News (Australia) - Children exposed to gambling and alcohol ads on devices during pandemic
A new report has found many children have significantly increased the amount of time they spend on digital devices during the pandemic.
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Washingtonian (USA) - Virginia Restaurants and Bars Can’t Sell Alcohol After 10 PM Anymore
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has announced a slate of new restrictions designed to prevent the spread of covid in the commonwealth.
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AWARH (Europe) – 8th Awareness Week on Alcohol Related Harm
Health is high on the European Agenda as noted in President von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech, the European Commission’s Work Programme 2021, the ENVI Report on the EU4Health programme and the first meetings of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer.
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Public Health Matters (UK) - Alcohol dependence and mental health
There are an estimated 589,000 people who are dependent on alcohol in England and about a quarter of them are likely to be receiving mental health medication; mostly for anxiety and depression, but also for sleep problems, psychosis and bipolar disorder.
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WHO Europe - New WHO/Europe factsheet: policy action needed to reduce cancers attributable to alcohol use
The new WHO/Europe factsheet, “Alcohol and cancer in the WHO European Region: an appeal for better prevention”, emphasizes causal links between alcohol use and a range of cancers, including some of the most common types, such as female breast cancer and colorectal cancer.
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WHO Europe - WHO/Europe highlights how alcohol undermines sustainable development across the WHO European Region
A new factsheet, “Alcohol consumption and sustainable development”, prepared by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, draws attention to the barriers alcohol consumption presents across the Region to achieving 13 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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SaxInstitute - A drink a day won’t keep cancer at bay
The link between alcohol and cancer is the subject of an important new research paper using data from the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study – and the findings are disturbing to say the least. The authors found not only that regular alcohol consumption confers a significant risk of cancer, but that just seven drinks a week raises the relative risk of alcohol-linked cancers by an average of 10%.
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Alcohol Action Ireland (Ireland) - THE ALCOHOL FILE
‘The Alcohol File’ is a podcast produced by Alcohol Action Ireland providing independent analysis of our societal preoccupation with alcohol.
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NordAN - NordAN resolution 2020: Alcohol – a risk factor for cancer
Drinking alcohol raises the risk of cancers of the mouth and throat, larynx (voice box), esophagus, colon and rectum, liver, and breast (in women). Based on that knowledge European Code against Cancer states that “If you drink alcohol of any type, limit your intake. Not drinking alcohol is better for cancer prevention.”
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NordAN - NordAN webinar: Alcohol in times of COVID-19
On November 18, NordAN organized a network meeting on alcohol and COVID-19 in Nordic and Baltic countries.
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Thursday, November 12, 2020

Alcohol News - 45/2020

Business Tech (South Africa) - New alcohol proposals for South Africa include higher taxes and ‘minimum pricing’
The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has recommended that government look at further regulations around the sale of alcohol in South Africa in response to its high levels of gender-based violence.
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GlobalNews (Canada) - Alcohol consumption skyrockets as pandemic continues, says Montreal public health
Montreal public health officials say the city remains in an “uncomfortable” when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, and while gaining control of the situation is a constant concern, it’s not the only one.
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Independent.ie (Ireland) - Explained: the new rules on the sale of alcohol in supermarkets that come into effect today
New rules will be implemented today on the sale of alcohol in supermarkets, which will see products barriered off in a bid to combat Ireland’s booze culture.
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Euronews (Sweden) - Coronavirus: Sweden to ban sale of alcohol after 10pm to curb virus spread
Sweden's prime minister said his government would propose to ban the sale of alcohol after 10 pm in restaurants and bars from November 20 to curb the spread of COVID-19.
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Washington Post (USA) - The pandemic is taking a toll on parents, and it’s showing in alcohol consumption rates
Taking out the recycling, I could hear my bin clanking all the way to the curb. “That sounded like a lot more bottles of wine than usual — you okay?” my husband asked me with one eyebrow up.
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Daily Mail (UK) - Drinkers can buy a week's ration of alcohol for same price as a high street cup of coffee – causing 'colossal' harm to the nation, doctors warn
A weekly 'ration' of booze - about six pints of beer - can be purchased for the same price as a high street coffee, causing 'colossal harm' to the nation, warn doctors.
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3AW (Australia) - New research says pandemic has changed young Australians alcohol consumption
Australians are drinking alcohol more regularly during the pandemic but are drinking less when they drink according to Australian research.
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Medical Xpress - Age gates on alcohol websites are ineffective, research shows
"Age gates" that aim to keep underage users off alcohol websites are mostly ineffective, a Texas A&M University alcohol researcher found.
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Euro Weekly News (France) - Paris Bans Takeaways and Alcohol at Night as COVID-19 Crisis Worsens
The police prefecture in Paris has announced it will ban delivery and takeaway services for prepared food and alcohol between 10 pm and 6 am from Friday in a bid to curb the worsening COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement on Thursday, police officials said the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks in public spaces during those hours would also be banned.
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Baltic News Network (Latvia) - Online alcohol trade issue submitted to Saeima for final võte
As explained by Saeima’s press-service, along with amendments it is planned to establish duties for traders and suppliers to ensure alcoholic beverages are not delivered to minors and to make sure other requirements of the law are met as well.
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Neurology Adviser - Alcohol-Induced Loss of Consciousness Associated With Risk for Dementia
A history of alcohol-induced loss of consciousness is associated with a significant increase in the risk for dementia, irrespective of the overall alcohol consumption, according to study results published in JAMA Network Open.
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Eyewitness News (South Africa) - ALCOHOL ABUSE BIGGEST DRIVER OF CRIME IN SA, SAYS CELE
Police Minister Bheki Cele on Friday said alcohol abuse was the biggest driver of crime in the country.
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University of Victoria News (Canada) - Alcohol harm reduction is saving lives during COVID-19
When Canada and many other countries starting locking down in March, people were advised to stay home and physically distance. But what does that look like when you don’t have a home and are dependent on alcohol? What if you lose your sources of income like panhandling or collecting bottles to earn money, the drop-in centre you frequent closes, or the local liquor store no longer accepts cash?
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Fife Today (Scotland) - Scottish Government must act now to avoid wave of alcohol-related issues
The alcohol education charity’s annual report recorded alarming increases in drinking across the country. And one in 10 Scottish drinkers – some 370,000 adults – admitted drinking more than they normally would throughout lockdown, even as restrictions eased.
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Newry Times (Northern Ireland) - Swann launches consultation on tackling alcohol and drug härm
Announcing the launch of the consultation Minister Swann said, “The impacts of alcohol and drug harm are being felt by too many people in Northern Ireland every day.
http://newrytimes.com/2020/11/09/swann-launches-consultation-on-tackling-alcohol-and-drug-harm/

ESPAD - New ESPAD results: teenage drinking and smoking down, but concerns over risky cannabis use and new addictive behaviours
Smoking and drinking among 15–16-year-old school students are showing signs of decline, but there are concerns over potentially risky cannabis use and the challenges posed by new addictive behaviours.
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Thursday, November 5, 2020

Alcohol News - 44/2020

CNN (USA) - Americans sought out junk food and booze as election results trickled in
As Americans waited and watched election results slowly roll in Tuesday night, many sought ways to soothe their anxieties about the 2020 presidential election.
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New York Times (USA) - In Trump and Biden, a Choice of Teetotalers for President
Spirits may be low around the country, but don’t expect them to be raised in the White House after the election; neither President Trump nor Joseph R. Biden Jr. partakes in alcohol.
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Daily Mail (UK) - Women increased their alcohol intake more than men during the first lockdown and this time is likely to lead to MORE drinking due to darker, colder days, charity warns
During the first coronavirus lockdown women increased their alcohol intake more than men, and a charity warns the second lockdown will see more drinking.
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News Medical - Finding ways to reduce rising alcohol consumption during COVID-19 pandemic
Alcohol consumption is a common coping response to stress, and historically, it has increased in the United States following catastrophic events, such as terrorist attacks and large-scale natural disasters.
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Newstalk (Ireland) – Around 200 000 Irish children living with parents experiencing problems with alcohol
Around 200,000 children in Ireland have parents experiencing problems with alcohol, according to a new study. The study from Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI) and University College Cork’s School of Applied Psychology also found that 400,000 Irish people are adults who were brought up in such homes.
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Daily Pioneer (India) - Impact of alcohol abuse on families, society and nation
Alcoholic beverages have been used in human settlements for ages- their consumption was first documented in the Indus Valley civilisation between 3000-2000 BC.The two great Hindu epics Ramayan and Mahabharat also mention the use of alcohol.
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CGTN (China) - Shenzhen to ban alcohol to minors starting 2021
Health legislation for Shenzhen Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was issued on October 29, making it China's first local health regulation. The new rules, set to be implemented on January 1, 2021, try to limit underage drinking.
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RTE.ie (Ireland) - Call for national strategy to help children of alcoholics
Alcohol Action Ireland has called for a national strategy to help children who are growing up in households where parents are abusing alcohol.
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Insider - Why you shouldn't drink alcohol while taking antibiotics
You should never drink alcohol while taking antibiotics, as it could weaken your immune system and make recovering from your infection more difficult.
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The Sector (Australia) - Mothers of preschoolers are increasingly turning to alcohol to cope, La Trobe finds
Mothers of preschool aged children who experience challenges managing work-family conflict are increasingly turning to alcohol as a way of coping with various stressors, something which is not the case for fathers of children of the same age.
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Metro (UK) - How lockdown changed the rules of alcohol recovery
‘Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I was drinking in the morning, throughout the day, and it very quickly moved from what I liked to drink, to what I could get to drink.
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Independent Online (South Africa) - Alcohol can raise breast cancer risk, specialist warns
Renowned specialist surgeon and breast disease specialist Professor Carol-Ann Benn has warned that alcohol can, in some instances, increase the risk of breast cancer.
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The Hill (USA) - Science supports new dietary guidelines limiting alcohol consumption
Recently, an advisory committee of 20 nationally recognized scientific experts recommended changing federal dietary guidelines on alcohol consumption, with limits for men who drink lowered from two drinks per day to one drink per day.
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Belfast Newsletter (Northern Ireland) - Promise of strict scrutiny as relaxation of NI’s alcohol laws progresses
New proposals to relax Northern Ireland’s strict licensing have broad support in principle, but will be strictly scrutinised to minimise the harm caused by alcohol abuse, MLAs have heard.
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Croakey (Australia) - Combatting alcohol industry lobbying: a way forward
Unsafe alcohol consumption is a longstanding public health issue in Australia and the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for comprehensive policy measures to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol use on our community.
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Movendi International - Mandatory Alcohol Product Pregnancy Warning Labels First Step to Generic Health Warnings
Is it possible that one of the less effective public health innovations to reduce alcohol harm might also be the most important? Might it be better that public health advocates first concentrate their efforts on health warning labels rather than the traditional policy interventions on price, availability and marketing?
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ERR News (Estonia) - Coalition considers earlier closing time instead of alcohol consumption ban
The government has backed down on a plan to install alcohol consumption restrictions in bars and other entertainment establishments, and will instead look at revising closing times, ETV news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK) reported Monday night.
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Sunday, November 1, 2020

FASD News - 43/2020

New Zealand Doctor Online (New Zealand) - ‘Epidemic’ of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder among Māori to come under spotlight
A University of Otago researcher has been awarded a grant to undertake vital research on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) which she says disproportionately affects Māori in epidemic proportions.
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Evening Telegraph (UK) - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Tayside mums reveal the reality of ‘invisible condition’
A recent report by Adoption Scotland found that more than one in three adopted children in Scotland are either diagnosed with or suspected to have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Now two mums from the Tayside area, whose adopted children both have the condition, have shared their stories.
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Millstone News (Canada) - $20,000 ‘Bell Let’s Talk’ grant helps local FASD kids and caregivers
Children’s Mental Health of Leeds & Grenville is pleased to receive a $20,000 grant from the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund for the Rural FASD Support Network, which serves as a support and education group for individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and their caregivers in the counties of Lanark and Leeds-Grenville.
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Am J Psychiatry - Considering Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in a Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Framework
Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure in humans are impossible to study via controlled experiments; we are limited to observational studies. Although alcohol is considered a teratogen, there is a lack of clarity about the nature of the association between prenatal alcohol exposure, particularly low-level exposure, and offspring development in part because of the potential for unmeasured factors to play a role.
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BabyGaga - Just 2 Drinks A Week Into Pregnancy Can Alter A Baby's Brain, Scientists Say
Consuming more than two alcoholic beverages per week during the early stages of pregnancy can be enough to stunt a baby's mental development. A University of Sydney study by scientists throws a slight wrench into a subject that most people seem to know because, in the opening weeks of gestation, many mothers aren't even aware that they are pregnant at all.
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The Good Men Project - Children With Disabilities Disproportionately Affected During COVID-19
The global pandemic has been hard on Canadians, but it has hit families affected by disability disproportionately, particularly young families. School-aged children with disabilities were suddenly without supports of any kind.
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Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Canada) - Bill 172, Education Statute Law Amendment Act (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), 2020
There is a high prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) among children in Ontario, and the combination of deficits children with FASD face can make attending school a difficult and often traumatic experience.
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VIDEOS and MATERIAlS
Spotlight on FASD - Podcast Episode 3 - Let’s Talk About FASD and Sleep
In this episode we start to scratch the surface about how sleep is impacted by Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
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RESEARCH
Springer - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in adults
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a common cause of a congenital developmental disability acquired in the womb due to alcohol consumption by the mother during pregnancy.
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Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability - Long-term outcomes following Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) diagnosis in adulthood
An FASD diagnosis in adulthood can benefit individuals through more access to supports/services and greater personal understanding and adaptation.
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Child: Care, Health and Development - Comparing outcomes of children and youth with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in the child welfare system to those in other living situations in Canada: Results from the Canadian National FASD Database
Results offer rare insight into the lives of youth and adolescents under age 18 with diagnosed FASD who reside in child welfare care in contrast to those living with biological parent(s) or with adoptive or other family members.
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Languages - Language Development Disorder in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), a Case Study
Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause developmental damage in children. There are different types and ranges of alterations that fall under the name of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
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Ann Pediatr Res.- Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Chorioamnionitis Results in Microstructural Brain Injury in a Preclinical Investigation
The combination of moderate PAE+CHORIO results in an increased mortality, concomitant with diffuse microstructural brain injury noted in young adolescent offspring at PD28.
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Addiction - Are psychosocial interventions effective in reducing alcohol consumption during pregnancy and motherhood? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
In pregnant women identified as consuming alcohol, psychosocial interventions appear to increase abstinence rates compared with usual care or no intervention.
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Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine - Substance misuse in pregnancy
The combination of a chaotic, unpredictable lifestyle, financial constraints and lack of support associated with substance misuse makes optimising care a real challenge. However neonatal and maternal outcomes can be improved when kind, respectful care is provided and women engage with maternity and drug and alcohol services.
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Adversity and Resilience Science - Best Practices for Engaging Pregnant and Postpartum Women at Risk of Substance Use in Longitudinal Research Studies: a Qualitative Examination of Participant Preferences
There are significant barriers in engaging pregnant and postpartum women that are considered high-risk (e.g., those experiencing substance use and/or substance use disorders (SUD)) into longitudinal research studies.
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WIRedSpace - The effect of intrauterine alcohol exposure on postnatal skeletal development in Sprague Dawley rats
The detrimental effects of intrauterine alcohol exposure are well known, however, many women around the world continue to drink alcohol while pregnant. The deleterious effects include neurological deficiencies, intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation as well as craniofacial and skeletal deformities in addition to short stature and osteoporosis, with high propensity to fracture.
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CMAJ Open - Nurse home visiting and prenatal substance use in a socioeconomically disadvantaged population in British Columbia: analysis of prenatal secondary outcomes in an ongoing randomized controlled trial
We found no evidence that NFP was effective in reducing rates of prenatal cigarette and alcohol use; however, it led to reduced prenatal cannabis use, and in smokers it led to modest reductions in cigarette use.
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Addiction - Are psychosocial interventions effective in reducing alcohol consumption during pregnancy and motherhood? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Alcohol use by pregnant and parenting women can have serious and long-lasting consequences for both the mother and offspring. We reviewed the evidence for psychosocial interventions to reduce maternal drinking.
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Journal of Affective Disorders - Prenatal alcohol and tobacco use and the risk of depression in offspring at age of 17 years: findings from the Raine Study
Offspring exposed to prenatal alcohol and tobacco use had greater risks of depressive symptoms compared with unexposed offspring, suggesting early screening and prevention of these exposures could possibly reduce depressive symptoms in offspring.
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International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries - Association between maternal alcohol use during pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis
Our findings suggest that there is no discernible association between maternal alcohol use during pregnancy and risk of GDM. However, given other possible pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes induced by alcohol use, women who have been pregnant and are planning to become pregnant should quit drinking.
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Universidad de Huelva - Health advice on alcohol consumption in pregnant women in Seville (Spain)
he recommended health advice to avoid alcohol consumption during pregnancy does not effectively reach a large proportion of pregnant women. Developing institutional programmes which help healthcare professionals to carry out effective preventive activities of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is needed.
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IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Junis Konferens (Sweden) - Alkohol, graviditet och små barns hälsa
Av alla livsstilsval som görs i samband med en graviditet, har få så stor betydelse för barnets framtida hälsa och utveckling som valen kring alkohol. Samhället som helhet måste ha vilja, kunskap och förmåga att stärka familjen med både barn och föräldrar i fokus.
https://vimeo.com/463032836
https://vimeo.com/465292886
https://vimeo.com/467705880
https://vimeo.com/470083147

Milano Today (Italy) - La diagnosi impossibile dei bimbi Fasd: a Milano arriva l'associazione che aiuta le famiglie
„Si chiama Aidefad, è nata nel 2018, e ha l'obiettivo di supportare i genitori creando al contempo una valida rete di professionisti esperti di questa sindrome“
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BimbiSaniBelli (Italy) - No all’alcol in gravidanza,: i danni al feto durano a lungo
Sempre più giovani donne bevono vino, liquori, cocktail. Se però si assume alcol in gravidanza, i danni al feto possono essere numerosi e seri
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