Sept. 9 was national Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day and the month of September was B.C.'s FASD Prevention and Support Month.
Each year, on the ninth day of the ninth month, people in B.C. and around the world mark the day by launching awareness campaigns and holding community events to help raise awareness about the dangers of drinking while pregnant and the struggles of individuals and families living with FASD. This day was chosen so that on the ninth day of the ninth month of the year, the world will remember that during the nine months of pregnancy a woman should abstain from alcohol.
To celebrate FASD Awareness Day, Jen Davey and Erin McClean, FASD Key Workers for the Circle of Support program with Sunshine Coast Community Services Society targeted youth, giving out basic information about FASD. The Circle of Support program provides education and training to individuals, families and services providers; increases awareness around FASD and other Complex Developmental Behavioural Conditions (CDBC); supports parents and caregivers to develop strategies around FASD; and supports individuals living with an FASD or CDBC to realize their full potential and develop self-advocacy skills.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is the term used to describe the range of effects caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may include physical, mental, behavioural and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications.
FASD is considered to be the most common form of preventable birth disorder in the Western world. Exact rates of FASD are not known and the incidence varies from community to community although Health Canada estimates that approximately nine out of every 1,000 children born in Canada are affected by FASD.
Some individuals with FASD have physical disabilities, but many of the effects are not visible and may include problems with learning, memory, attention, problem solving, judgement, behaviour, vision and hearing. They may not understand social situations and their behaviour is often interpreted as problematic, rather than a symptom of an underlying condition.
If you are interested in learning more about services available for those living with or affected by an FASD please contact Sunshine Coast Community Services Society at 604-885-5881 and remember, alcohol and pregnancy don't mix; healthy mothers and babies need everyone's support.
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