Politico (USA) - Harmed before birth, America's 'lost children'
overshadowed by opioid crisis
The Trump administration’s war on addiction has left behind an oft
forgotten piece of the problem: alcoholism and the lifelong damage it
can do to children.
Globalnews.ca (Canada) - Saskatchewan Foster Family Association
responds to call for more support
The Saskatchewan Foster Family Association (SFFA) has responded to a
letter criticizing the level of support for foster children in the
province.
The cordova Times (USA) - New legislation would combat fetal
alcohol spectrum disorders
Legislation introduced in the U.S. House by Representatives Don
Young, R-Alaska and Betty McCollum, D-Minn., would take steps to
inform pregnant mothers and prevent development of fetal alcohol
spectrum disorders in babies.
Love Belfast (Ireland) - Charity concert to feature reunions and
revivals of artists associated with legendary Belfast venue The
Warehouse (1994-96)
Pete Major from the Holsteins got in touch and said they’d love to
reunite for a Warehouse Remembered show if I fancied running another.
Pete told me that Holsteins drummer Brian McNamara and his wife
Alison had adopted two children with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
and had started a local support group, FASD Aware NI, moving towards
registration as a charity.
The Standard - Alcohol in pregnancy: Why no amount is safe to
drink
The effects of alcohol in pregnancy are completely preventable by
simply not drinking, so why take the risk? The safest option is to
avoid alcoholic drinks altogether for the whole of the pregnancy.
Medical Daily - Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Causes Premature Birth,
Low Birth Weight In West Virginia, Study Finds
It is an already known fact that physical deformities and growth
deficiencies affect newborns who experienced high doses of prenatal
alcohol exposure in the first trimester. This is because organs are
still developing during the early stages of pregnancy, making fetal
alcohol syndrome (FAS) detrimental to the fetus’ growth.
Independent Online (South Africa) - The dire effects alcohol has
on foetus development
Watching your child grow up to be healthy and able to stand up for
themselves will be nothing but a pipe dream for mothers who continue
to drink during pregnancy.
Don Young (USA) - Young, McCollum Introduce House Counterpart
Legislation to Address Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Congressman Don Young (R-AK) and Congresswoman Betty McCollum
(DFL-Minn.) have introduced H.R. 5790, the Advancing Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Research, Prevention, and Services Act in
the U.S. House of Representatives. The bipartisan legislation is
counterpart to S. 2879, which has been introduced in the U.S. Senate.
ABC.au (Australia) - New labels warning pregnant women about
alcohol anger wine industry
Small wineries in regional Australia are fighting back against a
"prohibitive" move to explicitly warn pregnant women about
the dangers of drinking alcohol.
EurekAlert (USA) - About 8% of West Virginia babies are exposed to
alcohol shortly before birth
About 8 percent of West Virginia newborns are exposed to alcohol two
to four weeks before birth, according to a new study.
COMING UP
EUFASD - Welcome to the european conferance on FASD 2020!
(14.09.2020-16.09.2020; Arendal Norway)
The first Competence Center for children with prenatal alcohol/drug
exposure in Scandinavia is proud to host the EUFASD 2020 in Arendal,
Norway.
Karolinska Institutet - CPF Lunch seminar: Developmental origins
of health and disease: A translational approach to understanding
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) (12-05-2020; Stockholm,
Sweden)
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term describing
the broad range of effects in individuals exposed to alcohol in
utero.
Prue Walker FASD Consultant - Understanding & Responding to
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) (April 1, 2020; Frankston
Australia)
A one-day Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) workshop for
professionals to build knowledge, skills and capacity.
CTRI - LIVE STREAM Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - Strategies
for Supporting (Jul 07 - Jul 08, 2020)
This workshop will review five pillars for success when supporting
individuals with FASD. These include a focus on Strengths, Healthy
Relationships, Promoting FASD Self Awareness, Adaptations Strategies,
and Team-Based Support.
The
University of British Columbia - 9th International Research
Conference on Adolescents and Adults with FASD (April 22-25, 2020;
Vancouver Canada)
Although there have been thousands of published articles on FASD,
there still remains limited research specifically on adolescents and
adults with FASD. As individuals diagnosed with FASD continue to age,
the “need to know” across a broad spectrum of areas continues to
be critically important for identifying clinically relevant research
questions and directions.
The University of British Columbia - 7th Biennial Conference on
Developmental Disabilities: Health and Wellbeing across the Lifespan
(November 25 - 27, 2020; Richmond, Canada)
The term developmental disabilities (DD) refers to people with
intellectual disability, autism spectrum, fetal alcohol spectrum and
related neurodevelopmental genetic syndromes.
Central Alberta FASD Network - FASD - A Day of Art & Learning
(April 17, 2020; Red Deer, Canada)
This event is ideal for individuals suspected or diagnosed with FASD,
anyone in their support networks, as well as organizations wanting to
enhance their awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
FAFASD - FASD and the Brain-Based Approach, a workshop for parents
and professionals (April 14, 2020; Clinton TWP, MI USA)
The FASD and the Brain-Based Approach workshop introduces a
neurobehavioral approach to living with, caring for, and working with
individuals and families impacted by FASD.
VIDEOS and MATERIALS
YourTV Brockville-Smiths Falls - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder
Kathy Botham speaks with Joe and his mom Cathy about FASD (Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome Disorder).
Health Communication Resources - HEALTHY BUMPS & BUBS
In partnership with Geraldton Local Drug Action Group, we are
supporting the community to develop local radio and video messages
around healthy pregnancy, highlighting that no alcohol is safest when
planning pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding.
Clinical Eye Openers - Children of Alcohol - a Long Silent History
Extract (trailer) of the 1st of 4 webinars. The history of
civilizations and alcohol are intertwined and illustrated by famous
artists. However, only one clearly demonstrates an awareness that the
main victims of alcohol are the unborn.
ParkviewHealth - Making the Rounds: Drugs and pregnancy
According to a 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about
5.4% of pregnant women, between the ages of 15 and 44, actively used
illicit drugs at the time of the survey with around 9.4% reporting
they were active users of alcohol.
ABC NEWS - Push for mandatory alcohol warnings for pregnant women
About a quarter of women in Australia continue to drink alcohol when
they're pregnant and in a bid to reduce that figure, the Food
Standards Regulator is pushing for mandatory warning labels on
alcoholic drinks.
TakingITGlobal - FASD Session
This is learning session 4 of 4 created for SSAs in Nunavut.
Het Witte Bos - Alcohol and pregnancy: the effect of one drink
FASD Hub Australia - FASD Diagnosis:
Australian Guide to the diagnosis of FASD
The Guide was produced to assist clinicians in the diagnosis,
referral and management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It
contains the Australian FASD Diagnostic Instrument and information
about how to use the instrument. It provides clinicians with
diagnostic criteria for FASD, which were agreed following a review of
existing guidelines and consultation with clinical experts.
CanFASD - Issue Paper: FASD and Child Welfare
In Canada, individuals with FASD are overrepresented in the child
welfare system. Conservative estimates suggest that the prevalence
rates for children in care are at minimum 3-11%.
RESEARCH
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society - Performance
Validity Testing in Justice-Involved Adults with Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder
A number of commonly used performance validity tests (PVTs) may be
prone to high failure rates when used for individuals with severe
neurocognitive deficits. This study investigated the validity of 10
PVT scores in justice-involved adults with fetal alcohol spectrum
disorder (FASD), a neurodevelopmental disability stemming from
prenatal alcohol exposure and linked with severe neurocognitive
deficits.
American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law - Neurocognitive
Function and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Offenders with Mental
Disorders.
Individuals with a history of offending behavior show high rates of
mental disorder as well as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
Neurocognitive impairments are common in both mental disorders and
FASD and may interface with offending behavior. Understanding these
impairments could effectively inform clinical considerations among
this population.
Psychology and Law - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: the
importance of assessment, diagnosis and support in the Australian
justice context
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a neurodevelopmental
condition with life-long implications. Individuals with FASD can
experience communication, cognitive, behavioural, social and
emotional difficulties that impact their functional capacity.
Journal on Developmental Disabilities - Expectations of Youth With
a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Adulthood: Caregiver
Perspectives
There are limited data about adults who have fetal alcohol spectrum
disorders (FASD). Caregivers of youth with FASD (N = 16) participated
in telephone interviews that included the open-ended question, "What
kind of adult life do you think they will have?" A total of 57
unique responses were made to the question.
Neuropharmacology - Rescue of ethanol-induced FASD-like phenotypes
via prenatal co-administration of choline
Maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can generate a
multitude of deficits in the offspring. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders, or FASD, describe a palette of potentially life-long
phenotypes that result from exposure to ethanol during human
gestation.
Journal of Public Health - An antenatal alcohol service evaluation
of the north-east of England and north Cumbria
Standardized patient pathways involving alcohol screening and
management practices are required, and sharing best practices will
facilitate referrals and support regardless of location. The
implementation of these recommendations requires appropriate
leadership, commissioning and training strategies.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine - Prenatal Drinking in the
Northern Plains: Differences Between American Indian and Caucasian
Mothers
Alcohol use was more prevalent among Caucasian mothers. Among those
who consumed alcohol during pregnancy, American Indian mothers
consumed larger quantities.
bioRxiv - Altered hippocampal place cell representation and theta
rhythmicity following moderate prenatal alcohol exposure
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) leads to profound deficits in spatial
memory and synaptic and cellular alterations to the hippocampus that
last into adulthood.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Moderate prenatal
ethanol exposure stimulates CXCL12/CXCR4 chemokine system in radial
glia progenitor cells in hypothalamic neuroepithelium and peptide
neurons in lateral hypothalamus of the embryo and postnatal offspring
While showing prenatal ethanol exposure to have a sexually dimorphic,
stimulatory effect on CXCL12 and CXCR4 in LH similar to CCL2 and its
receptor, these results reveal their distinct relationship to the
peptide neurons, with the former closely related to Hcrt/OX and the
latter to MCH, and they link ethanol's actions in LH to a stimulatory
effect on neuroprogenitor cells in the NEP.
HESAV School of Health Sciences - ‘I can tell when you’re
staring at my glass …’ : self- or co-surveillance? Couples’
management of risks related to alcohol use during pregnancy
Social researchers have largely used the framework of
self-surveillance to describe the experience of pregnant women within
a social context characterised by risk avoidance for the sake of
their baby.
Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem - Malformation and death X
Alcoholism: perspective of Nursing the Theory of Transitions for
alcoholic pregnant women
Women have incipient knowledge about the effects of alcohol on the
fetus. They consider that alcohol can only cause physical defects in
the children.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health - Understanding the
Relationship between Predictors of Alcohol Consumption in Pregnancy:
Towards Effective Prevention of FASD
Identifying these predictive factors will allow the design of more
effective fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) prevention
strategies.
