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Sunday, October 31, 2021

FASD News - 43/2021

Stuff (New Zealand) - Teenagers left homeless without support for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
One teen ends up sleeping under a bridge. Another is passed between temporary care homes. Carers and social workers agree: "There is nothing for these children." Josephine Franks reports.
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Yorkshire Post (UK) - Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Family of Yorkshire boy with disorder caused by drinking alcohol while pregnant call for better education
Yorkshire boy Isaac Clegg is a bright, funny and outgoing little lad - but living with him is like living with a 'ticking timebomb'.
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VIDEOS and MATERIALS
FASD Hub Australia - Meet Prue Walker: The role of the social worker in FASD diagnoosis
As a social worker, part of Prue Walker's role is to make sure that children and families are supported before, during and after their FASD assessments. In this video, Prue shares a snapshot of some of the ways she helps families through this challenging time.
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FASD Deutschland e.V. - Spot 2 FASD
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NEOMED: Project ECHO - FASD - Systems of Care ECHO for MSY
Dr. Gocke Ergun from Wright State University shared her knowledge of this topic with the SOC for MSY ECHO community on October 28th, 2021.
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The Florida Center For Early Childhood - FASD Warrior: Jen Werden
This mom of four is on a mission to spread the word about FASD. Jen adopted a son with fetal alcohol syndrome (the most severe case of FASD).
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Katy Gentry #SINGOUT - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder- Education & Resources in Indiana
information on video on fetal alcohol Spectrum disorders and how the education and social Services community can learn more about this disability
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Liz Ross-Collier - Characteristics of FASD
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NPs, Midwives, & Nurses Partnering to Prevent FASDs - FASD Champions Connect: Laurie Hume, MBA - International FASD Awareness Day, 9/9/2021
Join us to hear Laurie Hume, MBA talk about her experiences as a champion for FASD prevention and awareness.
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Spotlight on FASD - Podcast Season 4, Episode 3 - FASD, Trauma and the Criminal Justice System
We're back in conversation with Jerrod Brown, stepping a little further out of Criminal Justice to dive deeper into connections between FASD and Trauma.
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FASD Hope - All About FASD - FASD and Trauma with Jerrod Brown, Ph.D.
Episode 94 is part 2 of a 4 part, monthly series within FASD Hope titled "All About FASD - Professional Insights and Perspectives with Dr. Jerrod Brown".
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FASD Success Show - #087 Ngaire Meadows: No Physical Aggression in a Year!
As a research scientist in the health care field, Ngaire thought she knew everything, but now understands how little she knew. With three girls on the Spectrum, it felt like WW3 in the home with rages, outbursts, and mental health concerns.
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FASD Success Show - #086 Kelly Rosenbender: From Struggling Single Mom to Informed and Confident Advocate
Kelly Rosenbender is a single mom working full time and raising a 13-year-old daughter. Despite getting a diagnosis and referrals for service for her daughter, she still felt judged, isolated, and without tools or knowledge to advocate.
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RESEARCH
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Prenatal choline supplementation during mouse pregnancy has differential effects in alcohol-exposed fetal organs
Choline prevents the alcohol-reduced gestational weight gain and fetal body weight and corrects fetal brain sparing, consistent with clinical findings of improvements in alcohol-exposed children born to mothers receiving choline supplementation.
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Sciences & the Law - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and confabulation in psycholegal settings: A beginner’s guide for criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal interviewers
Suggestions in this article hold the potential to decrease the risk of confabulation in the criminal justice system and decrease problematic outcomes, such as false confessions and wrongful convictions among individuals with FASD.
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European Journal of Public Health - Available prevention and management interventions for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (2007 to 2017)
The uneven distribution of interventions designed for FASD vis-à-vis the burden of FASD in the different regions calls for a concerted effort for knowledge and intervention sharing to enhance the design of contextually sensitive preventive and management policy in the different regions.
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Developmental Neurobiology - Long-lasting implications of embryonic exposure to alcohol: Insights from zebrafish research
The harmful consumption of ethanol is associated with significant health problems and social burdens. This drug activates a complex network of reward mechanisms and habit formation learning that is supposed to contribute to the consumption of increasingly high and frequent amounts, ultimately leading to addiction.
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Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging - Corpus Callosum Morphometry in Children With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Alcohol is known to have a neurotoxic effect on the brain of offspring of mothers consuming alcohol during pregnancy.
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Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics - “The Offspring of Drunkards”: Gender, Welfare, and the Eugenic Politics of Birth Control and Alcohol Reform in the United States
The social politics of women’s alcohol use is controversial given current debates over maternal-fetal health, fetal alcohol syndrome, and debates about welfare. Exploring the early twentieth century intersections of Prohibition, birth control reform, and alcohol politics reveals the historical roots of current recommendations surrounding women, alcohol, and public assistance.
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Current Opinion in Pediatrics - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: current state of diagnosis and treatment.
FASDs are a common cause of neurodevelopmental impairment in school-age children, and their recognition is essential to provide early interventions in order to optimize the outcome for these individuals when they reach adulthood.
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IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Nowa Trybuna Opolska Plus (Poland) - FASD. Dla kobiety w ciąży nie ma bezpiecznej ilości alkoholu, który może wypić
Rozmowa z Barbarą Słomian, dyrektor Katolickiego Ośrodka Adopcyjnego i Opiekuńczego w Opolu, organizatorką konferencji naukowo-metodycznej „Świat bez FASD”, która odbyła się on-line 19 października 2021.
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Die Rheinpfalz (Germany) - Ausstellung: „Wenn schwanger, dann Zero“
Von Donnerstag, 4. November, bis Mittwoch, 10. November, kann in der Berufsbildenden Schule auf dem Roßberg die Ausstellung „Wenn schwanger, dann Zero“ besucht werden. Dabei geht es um die Prävention von zukünftigen Schäden durch Alkoholkonsum in der Schwangerschaft
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Bimbi Sanie Belli (Italy) - Alcol in gravidanza: attenzione ai pericoli della sindrome feto-alcolica
Consumare alcol in gravidanza, anche in piccole quantità, è molto pericoloso sia per la gestazione stessa sia per la salute futura del bebè che rischia la sindrome feto-alcolica
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Thursday, October 28, 2021

Alcohol News - 43/2021

ELO (Finland) - Alcohol costs workplaces at least EUR 500 million a year
Excessive alcohol consumption reduces the quality of sleep and recovery from work. The individual's concentration during working hours suffers, and intoxicants pose a risk to the safety of the employee's colleagues and customers.
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Netherlands News Live (Netherlands/Iceland) - “Parties in Iceland are supervised by parents. In many cases, the parties in the Netherlands are facilitated or turned a blind eye by parents”
As a Health Promotion Advisor, Suzanna Bijlsma is committed to the mental well-being of young people and she informs schools how they can prevent children and young people from using substances (increasingly younger). After a study trip to Iceland, she was inspired by how that country has minimized alcohol and drug use among young people in twenty years. And that they move more and are creative, which makes them feel better about themselves.
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USA Today (USA) - Excessive drinking during pandemic leads to dramatic spike in liver transplants, study says
The national list for people seeking liver transplants skyrocketed during the coronavirus pandemic, shooting up 50% higher than predicted before COVID-19 affected the country.
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The Drum (UK) - ASA study shows ‘very concerning’ potential for children to receive alcohol ads
Alcohol brands could do more to ensure their ads are not seen by children on social media, according to new research from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
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KERA News - Studies examine the link between drinking alcohol and increased breast cancer risk in women
If you drink with any degree of regularity — or even at all — you might want to reconsider. Numerous studies point to alcohol increasing the risk of breast cancer.
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Sky News (UK) - Football clubs ready for alcohol trial during matches while police brand it 'really foolish'
There is a growing campaign to allow football fans to drink alcohol while watching the game, bringing the same freedoms that the supporters of rugby, cricket and other sports enjoy.
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Irish Mirror (Ireland) - Top GAA stars in danger of consuming 'harmful levels of alcohol', study finds
Top GAA stars are in danger of consuming harmful levels of alcohol as a new medical study shows inter-county players are more prone to binge drinking than their peers.
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The Conversation - Grey-area drinking: pandemic’s heavy drinkers are ignoring the health risks
Increased drinking during the pandemic has created a group of people who don’t see themselves as alcoholics but have difficulty abstaining from alcohol for any length of time.
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Daily Record (Scotland) - Ex-SNP justice secretary says minimum alcohol price should be increased in Scotland
The minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Scotland is out of date and should be raised immediately, a former SNP minister has said.
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Canadian Public Health Association (Canada) - Alcohol Policy in Canada Series #1: Alcohol and Cancer
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in alcohol policy, consumption trends, and harms. It is time for a renewed discussion on what this means for Canadians.
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American Addiction Centers - What Are the Effects of an Alcoholic Father on Children?
The experience of having a parent who suffers with a substance use disorder (SUD) can be confusing and painful. This article will help you discover the signs to look for in a parent who is suffering from a substance use disorder and shed light on the potential effects of addiction on a child with an alcoholic parent.
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Herald Star - Alcohol abuse in women a growing concern
Do you remember the television commercial: “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan. And never let him forget he’s a man?” If there is one thing that women don’t need to compete with men about in the pursuit of equality, it would be alcohol use and misuse.
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ETSC (Europe) - Young drivers: call for EU to mandate zero-tolerance alcohol and drug limits and graduated driving licences
The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) is calling on the European Union to improve the safety of young drivers through changes to driver licensing, among other measures, as new data show young road users, aged 15 to 30, have come to represent a quarter of all road deaths.
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Thursday, October 21, 2021

Alcohol News - 42/2021

WHO Europe - Alcohol is one of the biggest risk factors for breast cancer
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer type in the WHO European Region, with 1579 women diagnosed every day. Alcohol consumption is one of the major modifiable risk factors for the disease, causing 7 of every 100 new breast cancer cases in the Region.
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Insider - I quit alcohol after 16 years of drinking. It's hard, but I'm a much better mom now.
I had always been the life of the party, the one who was always down for a good time. Most of those times included alcohol. It was a huge part of who I was.
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RTE (Ireland) - Increased demand for drug and alcohol support services in the Midlands
There was increased demand for services from Merchants Quay Ireland in the Midlands last year.
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York Dispatch (USA) - Colleges find that in-stadium alcohol sales at football games come with heavy price
One of the appeals of big-time college football has long been the atmosphere — enthusiastic and loud, but also fun and friendly.
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The Local (Sweden) - Alcohol monopoly Systembolaget to offer home delivery across Sweden
The Swedish alcohol chain Systembolaget has trialled home delivery in select areas since 2019, but soon the service will be available for all Swedish regions.
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Open Access Government (UK) - Change the UK’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol
Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, examines what must be done to change the UK’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol
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The Bangkok Post (Thailand) - Strict alcohol controls sought
An anti-alcohol advocacy group yesterday submitted proposed amendments to the 2008 Alcoholic Beverages Control Act, which it said would improve controls on the indirect advertising of alcohol.
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The Costa Rica News (Costa Rica) - Against the Sponsorship of Alcoholic Beverages in Costa Rican Sports
20 deputies voted in favor of changing the regulations that control the advertising of alcohol-containing beverages in Costa Rica. Unfortunately, some health defenders from Costa Rica were absent and the vote was 20 to 19.
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Fox News - Alcohol consumption can be reduced through brief medical interventions: study
Short one-on-one discussions about alcohol consumption in a doctor’s office may reduce patients' drinking levels, according to a study.
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EurekAlert - Corporate influence linked to slow implementation of public health policies globally
Implementation of WHO’s recommended public health policies on alcohol, unhealthy foods and tobacco has been slow globally, according to a study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, published in the journal The Lancet Global Health.
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IAS Blog (UK) - Is it time to help alcohol retailers make more money by selling less alcohol?
As we emerge from COVID-19, effective action for preventing alcohol harms can be part of a new policy mix that helps businesses recover while not further compromising our health.
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IARC - How alcohol can cause cancer with Harriet Rumgay
Harriet Rumgay, a researcher in the Cancer Surveillance Branch at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), presents the latest findings on the burden of cancer attributable to alcohol, as well as an overview of how alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing breast cancer.
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Sunday, October 17, 2021

FASD News - 41/2021

EUFASD - Second Research Network Meeting
The EUFASD Alliance is again organizing an online meeting of European researchers concerned with FAS/D and issues related to alcohol and pregnancy. The purpose of the meeting will be primarily networking and sharing of ideas and plans. If you are a European researcher and would like to attend or present your work, mail to info@eufasd.org.
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BBC (UK) - Better diagnosis of FASD in children needed, adoptive mum says
An adoptive mother is calling for the NHS to improve its diagnosis for children exposed to alcohol in the womb, so their families can be helped.
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Boston 25 News (USA) - Pandemic-induced drinking raises concerns over harm to unborn children
The pandemic has created a lot of stress. Often a simple way to find relief is a glass of wine or a beer. Surveys show drinking is up significantly, particularly among women.
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NBC News - How this mom of 10 — including 6 with fetal alcohol disorder — conquered pandemic parenting
When schools closed in March 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, Alicia Dougherty suddenly found herself at home … with all 10 of her children.
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CBC (Canada) - Assault didn't cause man's death near Yellowknife shelter, alcohol poisoning did, court finds
A Whatì, N.W.T., man initially accused of murder was sentenced for assault causing bodily harm after the court found the death was caused by alcohol poisoning, and not physical violence, said the Crown prosecutor.
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HuffPost (USA) - Missouri Executes Intellectually Disabled Man Despite Objections From Pope, Lawmakers
A Missouri man was put to death Tuesday for killing three workers while robbing a convenience store nearly three decades ago, an execution performed over objections from racial justice activists, lawmakers and even the pope.
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Healthing (Canada) - New clinic to improve understanding of fetal alcohol syndrome
Janet Carioni knew what to look for when her two young sons began showing symptoms of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The occupational therapist had worked with a FASD assessment team before moving to Ottawa.
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Welstand (South Africa) - Alcohol is poison to an unborn baby
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) may not be something you think about or you think that only people from certain low-income population groups can get FASD, but just to give people a wake-up call International FASD Awareness Day is held annually on 9 September.
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Salford Now (UK) - Salford professor says ‘big gap’ in knowledge of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder following first ever UK-wide study
The leader of a University of Salford team examining foetal alcohol spectrum disorder says that there is more work to be done on researching the disorder.
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BingUNews - Research project to explore how pre-natal alcohol exposure leads to ‘anxious’ offspring
Born to mothers who used alcohol during their pregnancy, these individuals were apparently primed to be anxious. They fretted about leaving the safe confines of home and were more likely to turn to alcohol themselves to ease the pressures of life.
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VIDEOS and MATERIALS
CanFASD - Early Life Adversity and FASD: Risks and Opportunities
This webinar recording features a presentation Drs Jacqueline Pei and Katherine Flannigan from the CanFASD.
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CanFASD - Participate in our FASD and Cannabis Research Study
Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan are seeking (a) adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, (b) caregivers of an adult with FASD, and (c) service providers who work with someone with FASD to take part in a research survey.
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FASDHub Scotland - FASD Professionals, FASD Month 2021
We asked FASD professionals from across the country why we should 'think differently' about FASD. Here's what they had to say.
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FosterParentCollege - Could It Be FASD?
While fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are surprisingly common in children in care, they can often be difficult to diagnose, as the signs and symptoms are associated with a number of other conditions.
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The Florida Center For Early Childhood - FASD Warrior: Alex & Pam Carver
16-year old Alex Carver, with the help of his mom Pam Caver, has been outspoken about his everyday struggles with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) publishing videos, blogs, and even articles about the lifetime disability.
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Spotlight on FASD - Podcast Season 4, Episode 3 - FASD and the Judicial System
This week's episode is the beginning of our mini series of interviews with Jerrod Brown; professor, researcher, consultant and trainer from Minnesota.
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FASD Hub Scotland - Factsheets – FASD
Our FASD factsheets have been written by the FASD Hub Teams, using their personals and professional knowledge of FASD to build a comprehensive bank of factsheets for caregivers and professionals. New factsheets are regularly added, so if you can’t find what you want, call our helpline and we will be able to help.
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FASD Success - #085 Chandra and Jordan Smith: The Power of Same Page Parenting
Previous guests have included moms and dads, but this is the first time we’ve had a couple appear together to talk about their journey as FASD Caregivers. I couldn’t think of a better couple than Chandra and Jordan as the first.
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FASD Family Life - Caregiver Stress; Causes and Consequences with Dr. Jerrod Brown
Welcome to FASD Family Life the podcast where we get REAL about raising children and youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
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Society for the Study of Addiction - Browse through The Pregnancy Edit
The Pregnancy Edit features a series of articles on alcohol-related harm in pregnancy, created for the Society for the Study of Addiction website in September 2021. Browse content from The Pregnancy Edit below.
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RESEARCH
PharmacoEconomics - Budget Impact Analysis of an Epigenetic Test Used for Diagnosing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder from the Perspective of a Laboratory Budget Holder in Manitoba, Canada
Findings provide insight into the impact that DNA methylation testing would have on laboratory budgets if used in the diagnostic workup for FASD in individuals for whom prenatal alcohol exposure cannot be confirmed otherwise.
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International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - Resilience Resources and Emotional and Behavioral Functioning Among Youth and Young Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
These findings complement previous research documenting the necessity of ensuring early stable relationships for youth with FASD and permitting timely access to diagnostic services.
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Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience - Examining the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on corticothalamic connectivity: A multimodal neuroimaging study in children
The results support the hypothesis that integrity of the corticothalamic tracts influences cortical alpha power. Further research is needed to understand how brain structure and function influence behavior.
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Behavioral Sciences & the Law - Diminished culpability in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)
There is a biological basis for diminished criminal responsibility in offenders with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) just as there is in those with intellectual disability.
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Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders - Discrepancies in Performance-Based Measures and Teacher Ratings of Executive Function in the Assessment of FASD
Results suggest that tests and teacher ratings of executive functioning may not measure the same construct or other factors may be impacting this relationship.
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University of East London - Children with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and their Experiences of School Belonging: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
It is anticipated that this research will go some way towards raising the profile of FASD amongst frontline educational professionals in the UK.
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Alcoholism - Prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Greater Manchester, UK: An active case ascertainment study
FASD was found to be common in these schools and most of these children's needs had not previously been identified. A larger, more definitive study that uses a random sampling technique stratified by deprivation level to select schools is needed to make inferences regarding the population prevalence of FASD.
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Social Science & Medicine - Alcohol use during pregnancy in rural Lesotho: “There is nothing else except alcohol”
Within this context of chronic poverty and food insecurity, alcohol use during pregnancy will continue to represent a valid, though tragic choice if the structural conditions and current social arrangements that facilitate prenatal alcohol use remain unchanged.
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Current Opinion in Pediatrics - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders current state of diagnosis and treatment
FASDs are a common cause of neurodevelopmental impairment in school-age children, and their recognition is essential to provide early interventions in order to optimize the outcome for these individuals when they reach adulthood.
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Clinical Pharmacology During Pregnancy - Substance abuse in pregnancy
The use of screening tools such as brief office interventions assists in identifying women at risk or currently using harmful substances and is one strategy providers may implement to support a positive and healthy pregnancy outcome.
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Cancer - Association between pregnancy intention and preconception health behaviors
Pregnancy intentions were associated with some healthier preconception behaviors in AYA survivors. Medical professionals caring for AYA survivors may consider pregnancy intention screening to guide conversations on preconception health.
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Journal of Affective Disorders Reports - Implications for comorbidities, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and inflammation in current smokers
Our study suggests an opportunity to identify current-smokers who had co-occurring clinical and psychiatric comorbidities and childhood trauma, and to offer them the opportunity of personalized treatments.
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IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Gosc Opolski (Poland) - Świat bez FASD
We wtorek 19 października specjaliści będą dzielić się wiedzą, jak pomagać z tym zaburzeniem. Podajemy program konferencji.
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Alles Münster (Germany) - „Bitte kein Alkohol in der Schwangerschaft!“
Autorin Selina Spetter, die sich für die Aufklärung über das Fetale Alkoholsyndrom stark macht, im Interview mit ALLES MÜNSTER Kolumnistin Iris Brandewiede.
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Demokraatti (Finland) - ”Tämä olisi valtava isku” – yhteistyöryhmä vaatii FASD-toiminnan rahoituksen turvaamista
Kehitysvammaliiton kattava työ FASD-ihmisten parissa ja sen rahoitus tulee turvata, sanoo kansanedustaja ja eduskunnan Vammaisasiain yhteistyöryhmän puheenjohtaja Merja Mäkisalo-Ropponen (sd) tiedotteessa.
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Thursday, October 14, 2021

Alcohol News - 41/2021

The Conversation - Another Round? What really happens when you microdose alcohol
In Danish director Thomas Vinterberg’s latest film, Another Round, friends Martin, Tommy, Peter and Nikolaj agree to conduct a little experiment: they will stay moderately drunk throughout the day to see how it affects their social and professional performance.
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USA Today - Why it's still so hard not to drink
Many Americans have a difficult time not drinking. There's a multitude of reasons – it's fun, it feels good, genetics, trauma, peer pressure, the pandemic.
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Phys.org (USA) - Boom in home-delivered alcohol opens the door to underage drinking
A rapid expansion in online liquor delivery services is making it easier for minors to obtain alcohol, due to regulatory holes and non-compliance with legal requirements, say the authors of a study published today.
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CTV News Montreal (Canada) - Alcohol consumption down, but excessive drinking up among Quebecers: survey
A survey conducted last month on the alcohol consumption of Quebecers during the COVID-19 pandemic indicates for the first time that a trend reversal is taking place: more Quebecers reduced their consumption than increased it, but more people exceeded the recommended limits of alcohol intake.
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Belfast Live (Northern Ireland) - NI drug and alcohol group issue warning to young people on impact of 'harmful' caffeinated alcoholic drinks
Parents and young people have been warned about the dangers of caffeinated alcohol drinks which have “caffeine levels more than a double espresso”.
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iNews - Shift in attitudes sees rising number of people rejecting alcohol and socialising while sober, experts say
‘If you’ve ever been the nominated driver you can sympathise; when everyone else is drinking and you’re not it can be frustrating and boring – I thought, I can’t have this as my social life forever’
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Holyrood (Scotland) - An intoxicating mix: getting to grips with Scotland's addiction to alcohol
When July brought the devastating, though not entirely unexpected, news that in 2020 Scotland racked up a record number of drugs deaths there was no shortage of government ministers with platitudes to offer.
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eNCA (South Africa) - COVID-19 in SA | Spike in alcohol-related trauma cases in Western Cape
Western Cape hospitals are under increasing pressure after the move to lockdown level one.
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Simple Flying - Lufthansa Starts Charging For Alcohol On Long-Haul Flights
With the launch of its new ‘Onboard Delights Interkont’ catering concept, Lufthansa will begin charging for spirits in economy on long-haul flights
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Irish Examiner (Ireland) - Alcohol, MDMA, and cocaine most popular drugs used by Irish festival-goers, report shows
Alcohol, MDMA powder/crystals, ecstasy pills, and cocaine were the highest reported drugs used by Irish festival-goers, a new report shows.
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Mirage News (Australia) - Community organisations call on Victorian Parliament to prioritise preventing alcohol harm
The health and wellbeing of our communities will be at risk from increasing alcohol harm if the Victorian Parliament fails to amend the Liquor Control Reform Amendment Bill 2021 later this month.
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The Crime Report - Alcohol Abuse Linked to Greater Risk of Suicide by Gun Owners
A recent history of alcohol abuse more than doubles the risk that a handgun owner will take his own life, according to a new study.
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Thursday, October 7, 2021

Alcohol News - 40/2021

Alcohol Health Alliance - The problem with drinking responsibly
The alcohol industry has long used the message ‘drink responsibly’ when promoting its products. But what does this phrase even mean? In this blog, Colin Shevills, Special Adviser to the Alcohol Health Alliance, argues why we need to take public health messaging out of the hands of the alcohol industry and call time on the ‘drink responsibly’ message.
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WIRED - Alcohol Is the Breast Cancer Risk No One Wants to Talk About
AS OCTOBER USHERS in National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the social media campaign Drink Less for Your Breasts stands out like a red flag against a cheerful tide of pink ribbons, especially the ones printed on labels of alcoholic beverages.
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The Age (Australia) - Action needed now to prevent alcohol harm behind closed doors
For more than 18 months, alcohol retailers and companies have aggressively marketed their products as a way to cope with the pandemic. In Victoria, the result has been an increase in alcohol sales into the home of $800 million between 2019 and 2020 – that’s an extra $15 million in sales each week.
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Digital Journal (UK) - Experts warn society has become ‘dangerously infatuated’ by alcohol
Concerning information about the level of alcohol consumption and the normalisation of excessive drinking has been reported in relation to the UK.
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Croakey (Australia) - How the alcohol industry exerts influence to block life-saving policies
Industries use many strategies to block and undermine public health interventions. A new study underscores some longstanding lessons from tobacco control and clinical research about the impact of industry funding of research.
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News Medical - Study highlights sex differences in the brain biology that controls alcohol drinking behaviors
A brain circuit that works as a "brake" on binge alcohol drinking may help explain male-female differences invulnerability to alcohol use disorders, according to a preclinical study led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine.
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The University of Sydney (Australia) - Guidelines for treatment of alcohol problems notes risks, stigma
The University of Sydney has led the development of the updated federal Guidelines for the Treatment of Alcohol Problems, publicised in the MJA yesterday, which sits alongside the NHMRC alcohol consumption guidelines.
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Society for the study of Addiction - Preventing alcohol-related harm in unplanned pregnancies: does a lifecourse perspective make sense?
For women who experience unplanned pregnancies, official guidance to abstain from alcohol may be welcome or useful once they know they are pregnant. However, it’s not going to make any difference to alcohol exposure or alcohol-related harm before this point. Natalie Davies describes an approach with potential to prevent alcohol-related harm among women at risk of unplanned pregnancies, but has some questions about the lifecourse approach that underpins it.
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MJA - Treatment of alcohol problems: current status and future directions
Alcohol is Australia’s most widely used drug, consumed by nearly 80% of the adult population.1 We lack recent prevalence data for alcohol use disorder in Australia but previous estimates vary from about 800 0002 to over a million.3 With such large numbers, it is quite a paradox that we are not better equipped to manage those who develop problems related to its use.
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Sunday, October 3, 2021

FASD News - 39/2021

NZ Herald (New Zealand) - Damning report says governments have breached rights of people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
A damning new report from the Human Rights Commission warns thousands of people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder have been denied support and had their human rights breached because they don't fit an "arbitrary" measure of disability.
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Global News (Canada) - Experts fear pandemic drinking habits could lead to a rise in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased alcohol use, skyrocketing stress levels and limited mental health and addiction services. Experts suspect that combination could lead to more cases of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
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CHEK News (Canada) - ‘Like living in a tornado’: Island woman living with FASD opens up about the condition
Lauren Richardson said she has felt like an outsider most of her life as the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder she was born with makes it hard to cope.
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Government of Northwest Territories (Canada) - Videos Launched to support FASD Awareness Month
The Department of Health and Social Services has developed two public awareness videos on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) to bring attention to the importance of diagnosis, and how the public can help support individuals living with FASD.
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Sarasota Herald Tribune (USA) - Kathryn Shea FASD Clinic named in honor of longtime Sarasota advocate
The Florida Center for Early Childhood held a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday honoring its former CEO, Kathryn Shea.
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Senator Susan Collins (USA) - Senator Collins Co-Sponsors Bill to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Among Women and Children
U.S. Senator Susan Collins co-sponsored the Advancing FASD Research, Services, and Prevention Act of 2021 (FASD Respect Act). The legislation addresses prenatal substance exposure through early intervention—by providing support through programs and funding for prevention efforts and for individuals and families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).
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CTV Saskatoon (Canada) - Sask. man advocates for those living with FASD
What began as a journey of healing for Niall Schofield has turned into an advocacy mission to help people understand living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
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IOL (South Africa) - Ignorance is the main contributing factor to high FASD prevalence in South Africa
South Africa is notorious for having the highest prevalence rate of Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in the world, with rates ranging from 29 to 290 per 1 000 live births.
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Daily Echo (UK) - How drinking alcohol in pregnancy could harm your baby
IT'S an uncomfortable truth, but we are rapidly coming to the conclusion that no level of alcohol can be deemed entirely safe, despite the UK government’s advice of 14 or fewer units per week, spread out, with several alcohol-free days.
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Maine Public (USA) - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: How FASDs Occur, Why They Go Undiagnosed, What Can Be Done to Help Children With These Conditions
September is International FASD Awareness Month. Most children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are never diagnosed or are misdiagnosed.
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Planet Radio (UK) - Over 1,000 GM children per year affected by drinking during pregnancy
Over 1,000 children are being born every year in Greater Manchester who could be at risk of lifelong conditions caused by drinking during pregnancy.
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Waatea News (Australia) - Data gap hinders fetal alcohol response
The Associate Commissioner for Children is backing a call from Māori public health advocates Hāpai Te Hauora for immediate action from the government on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
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Hawaii Public Radio (USA) - Understanding the Lasting Effects of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
September is National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says six to nine out of every 1,000 school-aged children in the U.S. suffer from the effects of alcohol consumed during a mother’s pregnancy.
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HeraldNet (USA) - Bothell clinic helps kids exposed to drugs and alcohol
As soon as Luke could crawl up a couch, he was trying to jump off it. His adoptive parents had to lock up everything in their house. Otherwise, he’d get in and wreak havoc. A few weeks ago, the 6-year-old accidentally put water in their car’s gas tank. His mother Joanne calls him a “sensory seeker.”
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VIDEOS and MATERIALS
The Scottish Parliament - Members' Business — S6M-01089 Siobhian Brown: FASD Awareness Day (9 September)
That the Parliament recognises International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day on 9 September, which was first recognised in 1999; notes that the day helps to raise awareness about the range of conditions that can result from alcohol consumption during pregnancy;
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FASD Hub Australia - What I want the world to know about FASD
We asked a group of adults, young people and caregivers with lived experience to share what they wish people knew about FASD.
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WION - South Africa reports highest number of FASD cases
September is the international FASD awareness month. South Africa has highest number of FASD.
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HSSCommunications - The Importance of a Diagnosis in Individuals with F.A.S.D.
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AlcoholFreePregnancy - We Are FASD United
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Adopt4LifeON - Snack and Chat - FASD Changemakers
Join the discussion with CJ Lutke and Myles Himmelreich of FASD Changemakers - where they share their insights and knowledge and offer advice to parents and caregivers raising children with FASD.
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AlcoholFreePregnancy - "The Drum Is Medicine" - Healthy Native Nation
In observance of September 9th (9/9) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day we would like to premier NOFAS/Healthy Native Nation FASD awareness videos. Thank you to all who took part in creating these for all to enjoy.
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Manitoba FASD Coalition - Visions and Voices presents: Conversations on FASD with Jessica Siddle
For the 2021 #FASDmonth celebrations Visions and Voices developed and are proud to present Conversations on FASD. Please take a few moments to enjoy Jessica Siddle's message and conversation around FASD!
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POPFASD - Get Ready, Do, Done
Executive Function is a set of mental skills and it includes the ability to plan and organize materials and complete tasks. Kristen Jacobsen (M.S., CCC/SLP) and Sarah Ward (M.S., CCC/SLP) from Cognitive Connections https://www.efpractice.com/ have developed the "Get Ready, Do, Done" approach to helping students plan and carry out activities in a timely fashion.
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FASD Awareness #BeAware - Why we need to think differently about FASD
Here is a short video for FASD Awareness Month 2021. With an introduction by celebrity gardener Mark Lane.
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Amanda Coates - FASD Network
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Able2 - Rein FASD Awareness Walk Fall 2021
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RESEARCH
Nutrients - Alcohol’s Impact on the Fetus
The impact of alcohol on fetal health and social outcomes later in life is enormous, placing a huge economic burden on countries. Prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure and early identification of affected individuals should be a global public health priority.
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Health - ‘Think before you drink’: Challenging narratives on foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and indigeneity in Canada
Health experts increasingly acknowledge that the disproportionate impact of FASD on indigenous people is driven by social and historical contexts, especially in settler colonial states like Canada.
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International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - Screening for Alcohol Use in Pregnancy: a Review of Current Practices and Perspectives
By implementing consistent alcohol use screening, prenatal care providers have the opportunity to facilitate access to counseling and brief interventions and thus, to prevent new cases of FASD and improve maternal and child health.
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University of Calgary - Memory Profiles of Children and Youth with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: The Potential Role of Postnatal Risks
Findings from the current study are consistent with the literature that documents verbal memory deficits within PAE populations; however, additional research on the potential associations between postnatal exposures and developmental outcomes within this population is needed. Areas for future research directions are discussed as well as study clinical implications and limitations.
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Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Prenatal alcohol and cannabis exposure can have opposing and region-specific effects on parvalbumin interneuron numbers in the hippocampus
Prenatal exposure to alcohol and THC differentially affects parvalbumin-positive interneuron numbers in the hippocampus, indicating that both individual and combined exposure can impact the balance of excitation and inhibition in a structure critically involved in learning and memory processes.
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Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Sex-specific effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor function in orbitofrontal cortex pyramidal neurons of mice
These findings suggest that low-to-moderate PAE modulates NMDAR function in pyramidal neurons in a sex-specific manner, although we did not find evidence that the effect is mediated by dysfunction of synaptic GluN2B subunit-containing NMDARs.
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UC San Diego - Sleep and Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Interventions targeting variability in sleep, particularly sleep duration variability, may improve sleep quality and some aspects of cognition and behavior in children with FASD.
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SIGMA Repository - NPWH position statement: Prevention of alcohol exposed pregnancies [April 2021 Update]
The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) advocates for the use of evidence-based strategies by women’s health nurse practitioners (WHNPs) and other advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who provide healthcare for reproductive-age women to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies (AEPs).
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University of the Western Cape - A scoping review of the determinants of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in South Africa: an intersectional perspective
A critical stance towards the victim/active agent dichotomy that often frames women who drink during pregnancy opens up space to understand the nuances needed to support the women involved while also illustrating the contextual barriers to drinking cessation that need to be addressed through holistic approaches.
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Research Square - Alcohol Consumption by Women in the Previous Year Who Were Unaware They Were Pregnant
Pregnant women and women of reproductive age, who are in risk groups and have a high vulnerability, should take priority for interventions related to substance use, especially alcohol.
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University of Lethbridge - Consequences of maternal preconception nicotine and alcohol: a rodent model of the long-term effects on offspring brain and behavior
The overall goal of this thesis is to highlight how maternal experiences prior to conception can have just as significant an impact on offspring development as much more thoroughly studied prenatal experiences.
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Government of Canada - At-a-glance - Prevalence of alcohol use among women of reproductive age in Canada
This information can guide health care providers in assessing alcohol consumption and in promoting low-risk alcohol drinking to prevent alcohol exposure during pregnancy.
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Neonatology - Ignored Papers, Invented Quotations: A History of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Given the high rate of alcoholism throughout history, its effects on the fetus may have existed for millennia. But, the claim that Greeks and Romans were aware of fetal alcohol syndrome rests on incorrect citations.
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Journal of Neurophysiology - Effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on choline-induced long-term depression in the hippocampus
This study provides a novel insight into how choline can modulate hippocampal transmission at the level of the synapse and that it can have unique effects following PNEE.
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Alcohol - Growth and Behavioral Differences in a C56BL/6J Mouse Model of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
This mouse model of PAE, using a repeated intermediate exposure, produces modest behavioral impairments that are consistent along the continuum of PAE models, including deficits in associative memory and hyper-responsivity.
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The Cardinal Edge - The Effects of Alcohol on the Developing Drosophila Nervous System
Ethanol is the most common human teratogen, contributing to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) when effects are the most severe. Key effects of fetal alcohol syndrome are observed in the nervous system.
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Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders - The Association Between Executive Functioning, Attention, and Adaptive Functioning Among Children and Adolescents with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Although none of the correlations were indicative of convergent validity, our results suggest a lack of discriminant validity across the measures. The findings suggest that our assessment tools were measuring distinct but overlapping constructs, and this overlap should be considered in future research on clinical decision-making regarding diagnosis and interventions that target these areas of functioning.
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Curtin University - Oral and written communication skills of adolescents in youth justice with and without prenatal alcohol exposure
This research investigated the communication skills of adolescents in youth detention in Western Australia (WA), a context in which fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is highly prevalent and Aboriginal young peoples are over-represented.
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Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research - Where there's a will, there's a way? Strategies to reduce or abstain from alcohol use developed by Northern Plains American Indian women participating in a brief alcohol-exposed pregnancy preconceptual intervention
Programs may need to provide participants more support to develop strong strategies to reduce alcohol use when implemented within areas with increased trauma and contextual barriers that can impact strategy selection, which may include ways to improve health on interpersonal and community levels.
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Contemporary OB/GYN - Breastfeeding and alcohol: Do they mix?
An editorial is presented in which the author discusses the risks of drinking alcohol while breastfeeding. The author reports the increased frequency of alcohol consumption in women during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Stuttgarter Nachrichten (Germany) - Jährlich mehr als tausend Säuglinge alkoholgeschädigt
Die Landesstelle für Suchtfragen hat Zahlen zur alkoholbedingten Schädigung von Säuglingen veröffentlicht. Die Dunkelziffer soll die offizielle Zahl sogar noch übersteigen.
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Rynek Zdrowia (Poland) - FAS. We Wrocławiu rusza centrum pomocy dzieciom ze Spektrum Płodowych Zburzeń Alkoholowych
Na Dolnym Śląsku ruszyło pierwsze w tym regionie Centrum Diagnostyki i Terapii FAS. Dzieci i młodzież obciążone Spektrum Płodowych Zaburzeń Alkoholowych otrzymają tu bezpłatną opiekę medyczną.
Przy „marszałkowskiej” jednostce - Dziennym Ośrodku Psychiatrii i Zaburzeń Mowy dla Dzieci i Młodzieży we Wrocławiu - rozpoczyna działalność Centrum Diagnostyki i Terapii FAS, w którym dzieci i młodzież obciążone Spektrum Płodowych Zaburzeń Alkoholowych otrzymają bezpłatną opiekę medyczną.
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PebMed (Brazil) - Dia Mundial da Prevenção à Síndrome Alcoólica Fetal: o que a exposição ao álcool na gravidez gera?
A síndrome alcoólica fetal (SAF) é atribuída à ingestão de álcool na gestação. Infelizmente, essa síndrome é a maior causadora de retardo mental prevenível.
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Prawo.pl (Poland) - We Wrocławiu otwarto Centrum Diagnostyki i Terapii FAS
We Wrocławiu rozpoczęło swoją działalność, pierwsze w tym regionie centrum dla dzieci i młodzieży dotkniętych alkoholowym zespołem płodowym (FAS).
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