37%
of babies have been exposed to multiple
episodes of binge drinking (5+ drinks
per session) during pregnancy. An
additional 42% have been multiply
exposed to 1 to 4 drinks per session
during pregnancy. It is probable that about 15%
of children are significantly enough
affected by prenatal alcohol exposure to
require special education.
FASD presentation by Bruce
Ritchie. If you have the PowerPoint
Viewer on your computer, simply click on
Open in the next
screen. If not, you can Download
PowerPoint 2007 Viewer (Works with
Windows 2000, XP and Vista)
"It is estimated that up to
20% of women consume alcohol regularly
while pregnant". Meconium is the first
fecal excretion from the newborn baby.
GC/MS Meconium assays can detect Fatty
Acid Ethyl Esters that act as a
biomarker of maternal alcohol
consumption during the final 20 weeks of
pregnancy. Studies by United States Drug
Testing Laboratories using the Avitar MecStat-ETOH
meconium testing for FAEE's that
have shown 15% to 18% of newborns have
been exposed to significant levels of
alcohol in the final 20 weeks with 4%
having been exposed to very high levels
of alcohol. "Neonatal
Screening for Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
- The Grey Bruce Study" by Joey Gareri,
HBSc, MSc student confirms that 4% of
infants were exposed to very high
levels. The lower level incidence was
not reported. See also "Fatty Acid
Ethyl Esters in meconium: An emerging
biomarker for in utero alcohol
exposure". - Joey Gareri, Graduate
Student, Department of Pharmacology,
University of Toronto.
Dr.
Bhushan Kapur. Methanol in small amounts
is present along with ethanol in beverage
alcohol. The body's natural enzymes
preferentially metabolize ethanol while
methanol breaks down into highly
neurotoxic Formic Acid. Use of
high levels of Folic Acid was found to
inhibit brain damage caused by the
methanol. The use of Folic Acid during
pregnancy has been recommended for several
years to prevent neural tube defects.
However, this study indicates that even
higher levels of Folic Acid can be very
benifical to the developing baby,
particularly where alcohol exposure is a
factor. Folic Acid is mandated as an
additive to all flour sold in Canada. The
debate has begun on its required addition
to all beverage alcohol to help mitigate
damage caused to both infants and adults.
Research
Investigating Effects of Alcohol and
Developing Brain Cells
Even brief exposures to small amounts of
alcohol may kill brain cells in a
developing fetus. A study carried out by
John Olney, M.D., at the Washington School
of Medicine in St. Louis showed that just
two drinks consumed during pregnancy may
be enough to kill some developing brain
cells, leading to permanent brain damage.
Nerve cells will die if they fail to make
synaptic connections in time. Drinking
alcohol can interfere with the formation
of these connections. Addiction Biology
2004 Jun;9(2):137-49
Twitches
that indicate alcohol may hurt baby -
Jonathon Carr-Brown and Martyn Halle
Video of ultrasound image. Just one glass
of wine a week can make babies jump in the
womb throughout a nine-month pregnancy.
The Sunday Times - Britain - November 20,
2005
The
amount of death and disability caused by
alcohol globally is similar to that caused
by tobacco and high blood pressure,
concludes a review in this week's issue of
The Lancet. Overall, four percent of the
global burden of disease is attributable
to alcohol, 4•1% to tobacco and 4•4% to
high blood pressure. Alcohol is causally
related to more than 60 different medical
conditions, including breast cancer and
coronary heart disease. In most cases
alcohol has a detrimental effect on
health.
Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome
Author and former pediatric nurse, Linda
Checky, BSN, RN, MBA, is the Assistant
Program Manager for TCHP Education
Consortium.
Excellent
teaching tool for professionals. 25 pages.
Continuing Education This
learning activity has been designed to
meet the Minnesota Board of Nursing
continuing education requirements. A total
of two and one-half (2.5) contact hours
may be obtained by completing this
independent learning program. (PDF format)
M.F.
Murphy - The FAS/FAE child is not a
hopeless case, he/she is simply a nowhere
child, never quite fitting into any
setting. The children already in our
schools and the ones that are yet to
arrive can learn and we need to offer them
an environment and educational program
which will insure that they do learn.
by Edward
M. Hallowell, M.D.
Attention Deficit Disorder. First of all I
resent the term. As far as I'm concerned
most people have Attention Surplus
Disorder. I mean, life being what it is,
who can pay attention to anything for very
long?
by Edward
M. Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D.
The most important step at the beginning
of treatment is to instill hope once
again. Individuals with ADD may have
forgotten what is good about themselves.
From birth, a baby's brain cells
proliferate wildly, making connections
that may shape a lifetime of experience.
The first three years are critical. - J.
Madelaine Nash
Peggy Seo Oba's extensive
study of the history
of FASD. From antiquity to present
times, alcohol consumption during
pregnancy has been known to affect the
baby. Why has it only been relatively
recently that it has been given a name?
Original and most up-to-date:
Adaptations to the fetal environment,
which result in low birth weight, also
program physiological and harmful changes
in the adult. Cardiac malformations exist
in children with fetal alcohol syndrome
and animal models of prenatal alcohol
exposure, and an enlarged heart (cardiac
hypertrophy) has been found in children
with fetal alcohol syndrome. The high
incidence of heart defects indicates that
alcoholism during pregnancy has to be
considered as a serious and preventable
cause of congenital heart disease.
Source: July
2003 edition of the American Journal of
Physiology Endocrinology and Metabolism
The
FASlink Archives are a searchable
collection of more than 110,000 FASD
related letters and articles. FASlink is
a listserv Moderated by Bruce Ritchie.
Members include biological, foster and
adoptive parents and caregivers as well
as a wide range of professionals
including those in medicine, social
work, education and justice. Our members
also include a number of individuals who
have FASD. They help us to see the world
through their eyes, so that we can
develop more effective strategies to
help our children and others. FASlink's character has
developed into a very supportive
"family". It is a unique experience.
KINGSTON,
Ont. A simple test that measures eye
movement may help to identify children
with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
(FASD) and ultimately lead to improved
treatment for the condition, say Queen's
University researchers.
Recent MRI studies by
Dr. Anne Streissguth comparing
structural anomalies in the corpus
callosa of FAS vs FAE individuals have
shown the same level of brain injury,
regardless of "facial markers".
Over time, the facial markers of FAS may
fall into the same disuse as Phrenology.
FAS facial features are not fully
reliable indicators of the nature and
level of disabilities. This research
could completely change the definitions
of FAS, FAE, ARND, FASD, etc.
"Although we hypothesized that
our image analysis methods would reveal
significant mean differences in brain
form between FAS/FAE and Controls, we
were surprised to find that the most
significant finding was a hypervariation
of form of the Corpus Callosum (CC: a
white matter pathway connecting the two
hemispheres of the brain). Subjects with
FAS and FAE had callosa that were
generally thicker or thinner than
control counterparts. In addition 3 of
the subjects with FAS/FAE showed frank
dysgenesis (incomplete development) of
the corpus callosum. This study also
found that there was a complete
intermingling of (lack of discrimination
between) the alcohol exposed subjects
with and without the facial features of
FAS in terms of representations of the
shape of the CC. There was no
difference in CC neuroanatomy between
subjects with FAS and those with FAE
or ARND."
"When the shape measurement of
the Corpus Callosum was combined with
results of neuropsychological testing,
we found further surprising results. The
variation in the shape of the corpus
callosum was related to two specific
patterns of neuropsychological
performance. Those subjects with FAS/FAE
whose callosa were thinner than controls
demonstrated deficits in motor
coordination but had relatively normal
executive function abilities.
Conversely, those subjects with FAS/FAE
whose callosa were thicker than controls
demonstrated relatively normal motor
coordination but had deficits in
executive function abilities." - Dr. Ann
Streissguth, Principle Investigator
This
statement describes the diagnosis of FAS,
partial or atypical FAS, alcohol-related
birth defects and alcohol-related
neurodevelopmental disorder. Strategies
for early identification of possible
alcohol-related abnormalities are
outlined.
There is a growing body of
research data describing the teratogenic
effects of alcohol on central nervous
system function and physical
development, the diversity of children
with prenatal alcohol exposure and their
families, and the developmental and
behavioral characteristics of this
clinical population. This article
reviews the latest research evidence,
bearing in mind what is important to
early intervention. This article also
gives practical guidance on FASD
prevention, methods for early screening,
and referral of young children for
diagnosis of FASD (and referral for
needed services once diagnosed), and how
to provide education, support, advocacy
assistance, and anticipatory guidance
for families raising children with FASD.
Key words: early diagnosis and
intervention, fetal alcohol syndrome,
alcohol-induced disorders (nervous
systems), maternal exposure, teratogen
Research
Report: Health professionals' knowledge,
practice and opinions about fetal alcohol
syndrome and alcohol consumption in
pregnancy.
Results: Of 1,143
health professionals, 12% identified all
four essential diagnostic features of FAS.
Most (95%) had never diagnosed FAS.
Although 82% believed that making a
diagnosis of FAS might improve treatment
plans and 85% agreed FAS was preventable,
53% said the diagnosis might be
stigmatising. Only 2% felt very prepared
to deal with FAS and most wanted
information for themselves and their
clients. Of the 659 health professionals
caring for pregnant women, only 45%
routinely ask about alcohol use in
pregnancy, only 25% routinely provide
information on the consequences of alcohol
use in pregnancy and only 13% provide
advice consistent with NHMRC guidelines on
alcohol consumption in pregnancy.
Because most people with FASD
have no visible signs of alcohol
exposure, their problems may be wrongly
blamed on poor parenting or on other
disorders. Early diagnosis and
intervention contribute to positive
long-term outcomes. The Fetal
Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
Center for Excellence is a project
of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Written
by the Follow Along Subcommittee of The
Perinatal and Addiction Task Force of The
Children's Hospital of Buffalo and New
York State Division of Substance Abuse
Services
Frequency of drinking 5
or more drinks on one occasion in the
last 12 months, by age group and sex,
household population aged 12 and over
who are current drinkers, Canada,
2000/01. Data source: Statistics Canada,
Canadian Community Health Survey,
2000/01. The definition of binge
drinking in Canada has now been changed
to 4 drinks per
occasion.
Understanding
Blood Alcohol Level. Blood alcohol
level (BAL) refers to the ratio of alcohol
to blood in the bloodstream. It also
accurately reflects the level of alcohol
in the entire body. BAL, also known as
blood alcohol concentration (BAC), is
represented as a percentage.
The Disease of
Alcoholism-Defined & Explained.
Alcoholism is a chemical/biological
disease that is primary, progressive,
chronic and fatal. It is characterized by
an obsession to drink that makes it
impossible to predict when we will start
drinking, and an allergy to alcohol, which
makes it impossible to predict when we
will stop drinking.
The
prevalence of alcohol and illicit drug
dependence is estimated. Relationships
between alcohol and illicit drug use and
depression are analyzed. Full
article in PDF format - Supplement
to Health Reports, Volume 15, 2004 -
Statistics Canada, Catalogue 82-003
Even though
alcoholism and drug addiction are
clearly defined as disabilities under
Ontario’s Human Rights Code, thousands
of Ontarians have been denied disability
benefits for substance abuse addictions.
That has now changed following a Supreme
Court of Canada ruling establishing that
addiction is a disability under Canadian
law.
Alcohol is a general term
denoting a family of organic chemicals
with common properties. Members of this
family include ethanol, methanol,
isopropanol, and others. This
introduction discusses the physical,
chemical, and physiological aspects of
the most commonly ingested of these -
ethanol. Alcohol is a central nervous
system depressant and it is the central
nervous system which is the bodily
system that is most severely affected by
alcohol (see chart below). The degree to
which the central nervous system
function is impaired is directly
proportional to the concentration
of alcohol in the blood.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) -
Mounting evidence shows that the
still-maturing teenage brain is
particularly susceptible to damage from
heavy drinking. A number of recent
studies have shown that teenagers who
abuse alcohol have problems with memory,
learning and other brain functions
compared with their peers, while animal
research suggests such effects could
last into adulthood. Original
article
Although
it is difficult to say how many children
in Europe have FAS or even FAE...one of
the ways you can determine the prevalence
of alcohol consumption among women and the
seriousness of it is to look at the deaths
due to alcohol related illnesses. by Peggy
Seo Oba
Women in
early pregnancy, and even those who are
considering becoming pregnant should cut
out cocktails, wine and beer completely,
according to the results of a preliminary
study on animals.
-- with comments by Teresa
Kellerman and Bruce Ritchie
To determine the alcohol
consumption patterns among all women of
childbearing age, including those who
are pregnant or might become pregnant,
CDC analyzed data for women aged 18--44
years from the 2002 Behavioral Risk
Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
survey (5). The results of that analysis
indicated that approximately 10% of
pregnant women used alcohol, and
approximately 2% engaged in binge
drinking or frequent use of alcohol. The
results further indicated that more than
half of women who did not use birth
control (and therefore might become
pregnant) reported alcohol use and 12.4%
reported binge drinking.
Meconium Testing - comments by Bruce
Ritchie Meconium is the first bowel
movement by a newborn infant. The
meconium based assay incorporates a
panel of Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters as
bio-markers of maternal alcohol use
during the last 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Studies with the MecStat-EtOH assay
(Avitar Technologies Inc., United States
Drug Testing Laboratories) found fetal
exposure to alcohol in 15-18%
of newborns tested, approximately 4%
of the newborns had elevated results.
These results do not include those women
who were drinking in the first trimester
and quit when they discovered they were
pregnant. People lie about their alcohol
use.
Alcohol: Global Burden on
Health Similar to Tobacco and High Blood
Pressure
04 Feb 2005
The amount of death and
disability caused by alcohol globally is
similar to that caused by tobacco and
high blood pressure, concludes a review
in The Lancet (Vol. 365 No. 9458, Feb.
5, 2005). Overall, four percent of the
global burden of disease is attributable
to alcohol, 4.1% to tobacco and 4.4% to
high blood pressure. Alcohol is causally
related to more than 60 different
medical conditions, including breast
cancer and coronary heart disease. In
most cases alcohol has a detrimental
effect on health.
This volume is the culmination
of three years of dedicated
collaborative work of the WHO Department
of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and
a WHO Collaborating Centre, the Swiss
Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol
and Drug Problems in Lausanne,
Switzerland. It is an overview of the
available data on alcohol consumption
and drinking patterns worldwide. It
gives valuable new perspectives on the
recent status of health and social
consequences of alcohol use and levels
and patterns of alcohol consumption
worldwide. WHO_global_alcohol_status_report_2004.pdf
As of
February 1, 2005, the Liquor Licence Act
requires certain premises to post signs
warning women that drinking alcohol during
pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder. The warning sign must be at
least 8 by 10 inches in size. It must be
prominently displayed in all locations
where beverage alcohol is sold or where
customers brew their own wine or beer for
take home consumption. Failure to comply
with the signage requirements is an
offence under the Liquor Licence Act.
The following types of
premises must post the warning sign:
Restaurants and
bars licensed to sell beverage alcohol
(wine, beer and spirits);
LCBO stores and
other retail stores authorized to sell
beverage alcohol
(i.e., The Beer Store and wine, beer
and spirits manufacturers’ stores);
and
Licensed
brew-on-premise facilities.
This document provides the mandatory
English sign referred to in Regulation
718, Subsection 26.1(1). The sign can
be displayed in colour or black and
white. A French sign may also be
displayed in colour or in black and
white.
To download the warning sign, please
click on one of the links below:
Submission February 25, 2005
to the Beverage Alcohol System Review
Panel by the following Ontario public
health organizations: Addictions Ontario
(AO); Association of Local Public Health
Agencies (alPHa); Centre for Addiction
and Mental Health (CAMH); Mothers
Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada);
Ontario Drug Awareness Partnership
(ODAP); Ontario Public Health
Association (OPHA); Parent Action on
Drugs (PAD); Toronto Public Health.
Alcohol is a drug that causes
about as much harm as tobaco. It is
linked to more than 60 medical
conditions and imposes a heavy burden on
public health and finances. Alcohol
should not be sold as an ordinary
commodity. Recent public discourse on
alcohol has focused on increasing
government revenues and has largely
overlooked public health impacts. Public
health and safety issues deserve to be
at the forefront in a balanced review of
beverage alcohol policy. The Ontario
review should, as a guiding principle,
seek to improve, not mortgage, public
health and safety. Alcohol policy
research has come of age, and now
provides governments a toolkit of policy
options that research show to be
effective in reducing alcohol-related
problems. Policies that increase alcohol
consumption generally lead to higher
levels of public harm, while policies
that decrease consumption reduce harm.
Relying on public education and
persuasion alone is not effective in
reducing alcohol-related harm. Among the
most effective policies to reduce
alcohol problems are:
maintaining
public alcohol retail monopolies with
a strong duty of social
responsibility, and
1870s:
Canada is in economic depression, but
alcohol is a flourishing industry. Toronto
has approximately one bar for every 150
residents and Montreal boasts a bar per 70
citizens. They sell Caribbean rum and
locally brewed whisky for high profits.
Drink becomes responsible for acts of
disorderly conduct, and city jailhouses
fill with people charges with
intemperance, the act of excessive
drinking.......
As the
new generation of political leaders in
Washington, state capitals and city halls
grapples with America's collapsing
judicial systems, rising medical costs,
persistent poverty amid plenty and the
defiant federal budget deficit that looms
over future generations, they confront the
same 800pound gorilla: drug, alcohol and
tobacco abuse and addiction. The sooner
these leaders see how substance abuse has
fundamentally changed the nature of the
pressing social and economic problems they
face, the sooner they'll deal with them
effectively.
Alcohol
consumption during pregnancy is a negative
externality with costs that reach into
everyone's pocket. A woman's drinking
while pregnant can cause far-reaching and
costly problems for her developing baby.
An externality is defined as the
uncompensated impact of one person's
actions on the well-being of a bystander.
Drinking during pregnancy is a negative
externality because the woman's action has
detrimental effects on her unborn child
that last a lifetime.
Proposal
for An Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program.
This report summarizes recent information
on alcohol consumption and its effect on
individuals and communities. It describes
the variety of programs and activities
underway and suggests a new approach and
related initiatives to reduce alcohol
consumption to a level of minimal risk.
Causes of
Death 1992 (Minister of Industry, Science
and Technology, Statistics Canada, Health
Statistics Division, Sept. 1994); and,
Method of Commiting Homicide Offences,
Canadian the Provinces/Territories, 1992
(Minister of Industry, Science and
Technology, Statistics Canada, Canadian
Centre for Justice Statistics, 1992)
Indepth:
Prohibition
A timeline of prohibition and liquor
legislation in Canada
CBC News Online | June 30, 2005
1870s:
Canada is in economic depression, but
alcohol is a flourishing industry. Toronto
has approximately one bar for every 150
residents and Montreal boasts a bar per 70
citizens. They sell Caribbean rum and
locally brewed whisky for high profits.
Drink becomes responsible for acts of
disorderly conduct, and city jailhouses
fill with people charges with
intemperance, the act of excessive
drinking. More
...
Both
separately and in concert, smoking and
drinking cause harm to the brain -- bad
news for the majority of alcoholics who
also smoke. Original
article
This Adobe PDF format booklet
is designed for caregivers and
professionals who, in their everyday
lives, encounter children and youth
affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder. Readers should be aware that
this Booklet provides strategies and
suggestions for people who already have
a base understanding of FASD. If you
would like more information on FASD,
please visit www.region6fasd.ca.
Why can't
they control their impulses? That is the
part I don't understand. If they can
understand why can't they control it. I
don't understand.
Fact: John
understands the rules
Fact: John understands the consequences.
Fact: John goes ahead and does it anyway
(AGAIN).
Fact: John can later relate the exact
rules and consequences.
Fact: Mom emits a long sigh.
Fact: John still cannot control his
behaviors MUCH of the time.
VON
Canada Eastern Region is pleased to
announce the release of Let's Talk FASD
:Parent-Driven Strategies in Caring for
Children and Adults with FASD. This
resource is the result of a four-year
project funded by the Public Health Agency
of Canada (PHAC)
Original document at
Having a
child with special needs is a constant,
never-ending series of challenges -
emotional, financial and physical, and the
stress can easily overwhelm even the
strongest and most positive individuals.
There are a number of strategies that you
can employ to help you cope with the
never-ending roller coaster ride, which
can help to preserve your relationship,
make it stronger, and help keep your life
in balance. Original
article
Maternal alcohol consumption
even at low levels adversely related to
child behavior. The effect was observed
at average exposure levels as low as 1
drink per week.
What could churches /
religious organizations do to help
families affected by FASD?
How do you teach abstract spiritual
ideas to people with FASD?
What could churches / religious
organizations do to help families
affected by FASD? Original
documents
When I go
out to relax at a restaurant, I don't want
to hear screaming, see running around etc.
If I want to listen to kids I go to
McDonalds. In a good restaurant I expect
children to behave.
A
wonderful website by Terri Mauro on
Parenting. Humor and help for adoptive
moms, special-needs moms, any old moms at
all. Excellent article on behavior plan
for FASD FAS/FAE children. Their Home
Page
Children
come into this world helpless and unable
to thrive without us. Our job is to love
and nurture them and to teach them how to
live. Discipline means "to teach and
train". We need to be good
disciplinarians, to acquire skills that
will accomplish the goal we set for
ourselves - that of helping the child
learn to control and set standards for
himself.
Many
individuals with FASD have great
difficulty controlling their temper. Lack
of impulse control and inability to
predict consequences can quickly escalate
to a rage when they are frustrated about
something. This article is from some notes
taken from a discussion on weapons on the
FASlink Forum.
When
Marmaduke, the Great Dane, was brought for
rescue adoption to my house he was sixteen
months old with a history of having bitten
three times. He had had his reasons.
Violence usually has its reasons. But
violence also has a heavy price tag. In
the case of Marmaduke it almost cost him
his life, and it did cost him his original
home. Everyone had told the original owner
that the Long Island dog would legally
have to be put to sleep (executed). The
owner, however, was certain there had to
be an alternative. I was that alternative.
Which is how and why, to avoid having to
be executed, Marmaduke was brought to me
in Connecticut.
Attention Deficit Disorder. First of all I
resent the term. As far as I'm concerned
most people have Attention Surplus
Disorder. I mean, life being what it is,
who can pay attention to anything for very
long?
The most
important step at the beginning of
treatment is to instill hope once again.
Individuals with ADD may have forgotten
what is good about themselves.
The problem: The
student consistently neglects to hand in
homework or long-term projects, even
though she claims to have completed the
work.
The reason: Children with AD/HD have
difficulty keeping track of bits of
information. They have a problem keeping
track of paperwork.
The 2 papers in this section
review the etiology and treatment of
conduct disorder (CD), one of the most
common disorders in child psychiatry
with an incidence of between 5.5% and
6.9% (1). Even with the best- known
treatment, the success rate on follow-up
does not exceed 74% (2). The failure in
treatment often results in the
adolescent becoming an adult with
antisocial personality disorder (APD)
and a criminal record. Youths with this
disorder cause immense suffering to
society because of their antisocial
behaviour and the enormous costs
associated with treatment, court
procedures, probation, detention, and
incarceration. The
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry - Home
Page
This web page is intended to
assist parents and caregivers seeking
information about services funded and/or
provided by the Ontario government for
children with physical, intellectual
and/or developmental disabilities,
mental health disorders, medical
problems or those who need specialized
services to participate in daily living
activities.
This article is not about
FASD but is about parenting issues
that apply to all children. Rosalind
Wiseman is trying to protect
“Wannabes” from “Queen Bees.” To that
end, she has established the Empower
Program, which is aided by the Girls’
Advisory Board. Are girls
meaner than boys?
The
information is gathered from medical
experts who have successfully treated
children and adults with Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders (FASD), including Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome(FAS) and Alcohol Related
Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND) with or
without other neurological disorders like
obsessions, compulsions, aggression, that
interfere with the person's ability to
function in life. Behavior problems are
due in part to imbalance of chemicals in
the brain caused by prenatal exposure to
alcohol.
This pamphlet is a summary of
nutritional measures which have helped
our three children with FASD over the
past five years. None of these measures
are new, indeed many of these ideas come
from literature on alcoholism, autism,
schizophrenia or other mental disorders.
I am a biochemical researcher, not a
physician, so I cannot give medical
advice. If any of the ideas in this
pamphlet seem applicable to your child,
I encourage you to discuss them with
your doctor, nutritionist, or
naturopath.
Main meals are quite easy, of
course, with your basic meat, potatoes
or rice, and vegetable, although you may
need to adapt some recipes a bit for
sauces, etc. The biggest problems we
faced were breakfast and supper.
Get rice and tapioca flours at
the Chinese store, potato starch flour
in the baking section of any grocery
store, chick-pea flour (labeled as gram
flour or besan) at the middle-eastern or
Indian store. Millet flour or flakes may
be available at your health food store;
otherwise buy millet and grind it in an
electric coffee grinder. Sorghum flour
(Jowar) from an Indian store can be used
in place of millet.
Dr.
Bhushan Kapur. Methanol in small amounts
is present along with ethanol in beverage
alcohol. The body's natural enzymes
preferentially metabolize ethanol while
methanol breaks down into highly
neurotoxic Formic Acid. Use of
high levels of Folic Acid was found to
inhibit brain damage caused by the
methanol. The use of Folic Acid
during pregnancy has been recommended for
several years to prevent neural tube
defects. However, this study indicates
that even higher levels of Folic Acid can
be very benifical to the developing baby,
particularly where alcohol exposure is a
factor. Folic Acid is mandated as an
additive to all flour sold in Canada. The
debate has begun on its required addition
to all beverage alcohol to help mitigate
damage caused to both infants and adults.
Authored
by Julie Conry, Ph.D., R. Psych. for the
B.C. Ministry of Education. Reproduced
with permission of the British Columbia
Ministry of Education. A very
comprehensive guide with useful tools.
This manual provides parents
with systematic strategies they can use
to become more active participants in
the Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
process and contribute to the
development of a meaningful educational
program for their sons and daughters.
The strategies delineated in this manual
are not expensive nor do they require
that parents obtain degrees in education
or advocacy in order to be effective.
The strategies offer common sense
approaches as to how to effectively
advocate for inclusive education for
their sons and daughters with
disabilities.
By Ellen Notbohm - This should
be required reading for all social
service workers, teachers and relatives
of children with autism. There is great
need to understand the world as special
needs children experience it. So the
voice of our child returns now to tell
us what children with autism wish their
teachers knew.
Debbie
Evenson
Professionals and the public in Alaska are
deeply concerned about the educational
implication of prenatally alcohol/drug
exposed children.
Legal issues related to Fetal
Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) have been
explored recently by a number of authors.
[1] This discussion paper canvases issues
specifically related to FASD and the youth
criminal justice system. Where available,
court decisions that have addressed these
issues are reviewed. Issues are explored
under six subject headings: (I) the FASD
construct; (II) fitness to stand trial;
(III) criminal intent; (IV)
proportionality of youth court outcomes;
(V) sentencing; and (VI) bridging with
social services. Original
URL
This article discusses the
basics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal
Alcohol Effects (FAS/E): the history,
nature, prevalence, causes and effects of
prenatal exposure to alcohol. Some
of the unique features of FAS/E are
explored, particularly those that make it
so hard to spot and those that predispose
people to nonproductive or criminal
activity. The presentation of FASD
in Juvenile Court is discussed and put in
the context of the multiplicity of factors
pertaining to delinquency; finally,
innovative interventions, approaches and
resources are laid out. Issues
surrounding FASD as they appear in Family
Court are then explored, with emphasis on
the intergenerational transmission of this
array of conditions and how we might
interrupt such transmission.
“young person” means a person
who is or, in the absence of evidence to
the contrary, appears to be twelve years
old or older, but less than eighteen years
old and, if the context requires, includes
any person who is charged under this Act
with having committed an offence while he
or she was a young person or who is found
guilty of an offence under this Act. Original
URL
The Canadian Charter of Rights
and Freedoms guarantees the rights and
freedoms set out in it subject only to
such reasonable limits prescribed by law
as can be demonstrably justified in a
free and democratic society.
The Canadian Legal Information
Institute provides a database of Case Law
determined by decisions of federal,
provincial and territorial courts,
tribunals, boards and panels. Available
online only.
FAS/FAE individuals are
definitely at increased risk for coming in
contact with the criminal justice system
and as medical personal become more aware
of FAS/FAE the availability of an early
diagnosis is more likely. It is likely
that cases of FAS/FAE continue to enter
the prison system unrecognized.
Correctional Service Canada might consider
developing a practical screening
instrument for identifying suspected cases
of FAS/FAE early in the incarceration
process or acquiring such an instrument if
one becomes available elsewhere.
These materials cover
suggestions for how an individual with
FAS/FAE should handle interactions with
the police. Here is a link relating to a
card
which an individual with FAS/FAE can
present to the police explaining his or
her disability, as well as a general
guide for dealing with the police.
A Lawyer's personal remarks. by
David Boulding "My remarks are personal
and tentative - there are probably more
mistakes I have made. Perhaps I am unaware
of them or perhaps I choose to remain
unaware. It is embarrassing to admit. I
encourage you to tell me what your
experience has been with lawyers' mistakes
because you can help me learn from my
mistakes."
David Boulding is a
former criminal court lawyer who travels
around the world to speak about Fetal
Alcohol and the Law. This is the first in
a series of educational videos about Fetal
Alcohol.
These
few sentences are intended for parents and
caregivers of persons with the brain based
birth defect often called fetal alcohol
spectrum disorder. Social services staff,
probation officers, teachers, and like
minded folks might also find some comfort
here. I have some 15 years experience as a
Canadian criminal lawyer, both prosecution
and defence. Like many lawyers I have made
many mistakes as a lawyer when dealing
with clients with fetal alcohol issues,
and I intend here to suggest ways you and
your lawyer can avoid some of the mistakes
I have made.
When a
young person with FASD (Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder) commits a crime and
ends up in the criminal justice system,
the family often learns the meaning of new
terms, like "competent to stand trial" and
"diminished capacity." In criminal law,
competency is defined as being
"sufficiently mentally able to stand
trial, if he/she understands the
proceedings and can rationally
deal with his/her lawyer."
This article has been included
because the behaviour patterns of many
FAS / FAE children / adults bring them
into conflict with the law. Perhaps the
judicial system needs to find a more
appropriate response to individuals with
these disabilities. Our thanks to the
National Crime Prevention Council for
their work in this area. Original
URL of "Offender Profiles"National
Crime Prevention Council's Home Page
The youth court caseload in
Canada has been declining over the past
decade, consistent with a decrease in
charges laid by police, according to
data from the Youth Court Survey.
Youth courts heard 84,592 cases during
the 2002/03 fiscal year, 1% fewer than
in 2001/02, and 20% fewer than in
1991/92 (the first year for which
complete national data coverage was
available for the Youth Court Survey).
Many individuals with Fetal
Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) have
been in trouble with the law, as
indicated by research and as families
learn from experience. Ann Streissguth's
recent long-term study of secondary
disabilities reveals that of the 415
individuals with FASD who completed the
study, 60% of the adolescents and adults
have been in trouble with the law for
various crimes, ranging from shoplifting
to domestic violence. Trouble with
abusing alcohol and other drugs is
another common problem in this group of
individuals. In the same study,
Streissguth's research indicates that
50% of the men and 70% of the women with
FASD have problems with alcohol or other
drugs.
Articles
on Legal Issues
Fetal Alcohol And Drug Unit
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences
University of Washington School of
Medicine
&
University of Washington School of Law
Developing Successful
Interventions for Clients with FAS or
ARND; a flyer created by the Fetal
Alcohol and Drug Unit and sponsored by March of Dimes
(2002). It explains about the brain
damage prenatal alcohol exposure causes,
the behaviors that happen because of
that exposure, and shares helpful
strategies when treating clients with
FAS or ARND.
Suggestions for More
User-Friendly Court Hearings; by
the Hon. Michael I. Jeffery, Presiding
Superior Court Judge, Second Judicial
District, Borrow, Alaska. Suggestions
for accommodations in the courtroom for
individuals disabled by FAS/FAE or with
cultural differences or language
barriers. Additionally, Judge Jeffery
has simplified his routine court
documents to foster a clearer
understanding of court procedures and
the commitments which are entered into
by those who appear before him.
Ethical
issues to be regarded with Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder focus on
various aspects. What are individual and
autonomous rights? What is termed abuse?
What is the end result of alcohol use
during pregnancy? How is this information
to be effectively and compassionately
used? Ethics involves what is right and
what is wrong in human behavior. There are
“oughts” and “ought nots” in action.
Ethics also involves dilemmas and what, if
any, actions are an individual’s or
society’s duties in rectifying these
dilemmas? How can the intent of goodwill
be used? What obligation does the
scientific community or educational
institutions have to educate or inform the
public? Do ethical values translate into
legislation?
Crime
Times has a number of articles
on issues relating to FAS/FAE.
A York County girl who suffers
from Asperger's syndrome is entitled to
special education services even though
she completes her homework, behaves well
in class and scores well on tests, a
federal judge ruled. Ruling has
implications for FASD as well.
1995 A civil action (Dobson
vs. Dobson) is launched on behalf of
Ryan Dobson by Gerald Price, his
maternal grandfather and guardian. The
action is against the boy's mother for
prenatal injuries sustained by the boy
as a fetus. Cynthia Dobson of Moncton,
N.B., was 27 weeks pregnant when her car
collided with a pickup truck in a near
fatal accident in 1993. Doctors
performed an emergency caesarean
section. Born three months premature,
Ryan has serious physical and mental
impairments, including cerebral palsy.
Gerald Price wants to win damages from
Dobson's insurance company for Ryan's
care. (i)
1969
Bill C-150 Canada abortion law
passes. The homicide definition is
amended so that homicide only takes
place if a child dies "after becoming
a human being". Becoming a human being
is defined as having the umbilical
cord severed, having independent
circulation, or having had breathed.
In 1988, the abortion law was struck
down by Supreme Court but the
definition of becoming a human being
remains.
The
Supreme Court of Canada rules in
Dobson v Dobson that courts should not
impose a legal obligation on pregnant
mothers to provide certain conditions
for her child. The court states,
"First and foremost, for reasons of
public policy, the Court should not
impose a duty of care upon a pregnant
woman towards her foetus or
subsequently born child. To do so
would result in very extensive and
unacceptable intrusions into the
bodily integrity, privacy and autonomy
rights of women."
Alberta kids can sue for fetal
injuries. New legislation targets
mothers in auto crashes. In a Canadian
first, the Alberta government will
introduce legislation this month to
allow children to sue their mothers for
automobile crash injuries they suffer
while still in the womb. The legislation
is sure to raise questions about the
rights of women and the fetus, and
worries that it will open the door for
mothers to someday be sued for other
activities they pursue while pregnant,
such as alcohol consumption or
high-exertion sports.
While there are distinct
differences between Native tribes in
Canada, the tribes have had similar
experiences politically and
historically. The balance of retaining
traditional values while adjusting to
non-indigenous ways of life has been a
difficult endeavor for Native tribes.
Law cases on Canadian Natives indicate
the task is just as problematic for the
non-indigenous to determine how
indigenous people should be tried in a
court of law. Native law cases involve
additional issues like treaty
interpretations, Aboriginal women's
rights, leadership and self-government,
and especially land rights.
Law cases are dependent on the
numerous treaties throughout Canada's
history.
Articles Needed
Wills Discretionary Trusts
Power of Attorney
Guardianship
The
TRIUMF Project is a proposed
series of multi-disciplinary diagnostic /
training clinics, and self-sustaining
residential village / farm / campground /
rehab and conference centres specializing
in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Static
Encephalopathy.
Most adults with FASD will
need more help than others to meet the
more routine demands of work and home.
The kinds of services and the degree of
help needed may vary. Areas where
assistance may be important include
employment, money management, housing,
and social skills. Many require close
supervision to help them make day-to-day
decisions and stay safe. - SAMHSA Fetal
Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
Center for Excellence
On Monday, June 6, 2005 we lost
another one of our special children.
Christopher Surbey (Age 17, FAS) was
brutally stabbed to death in Winnipeg,
Manitoba. Chris required close supervision
due to his poor judgment and his inability
to avoid risky situations. However, the
residential placement provided for Chris
only allowed for daytime supervision. His
parents pleaded with the agency to
supervise him at night as well, as he is
at highest risk during the evening hours,
when he would go out alone into the
community. His adopted mother, Val Surbey,
was the founder of FASlink in 1995. We are
profoundly affected as in many ways we
helped raise Chris over the years through
the FASlink global family. He was our
child too and also embodies the concerns
we have for our own children at home. Who
will be next?
Diagnosed
at age 43 with FAE, Fetal Alcohol Effects,
Stephen (now age 50) provides insight into
some of the difficulties of growing up
with undiagnosed FASD. Stephen has found
his niche in the world as one of FASlink's
key researchers.
When people say unkind things
about birth moms who have children with
FASD, it is usually out of ignorance of
the nature of addictions, frustration
about the unnecessary injury to a child
and/or a feeling of helplessness. Addicted birth moms are also
victims of the beverage alcohol
industry. The cost to us all is
astronomical and the beverage alcohol
industry pays less far less than 1% of
the total damages caused by their
products.
Forgiveness is learned early in life when,
as children our parents overlook an
offense or forgive our breaking an
expensive or beloved object. They are the
first to teach us how it feels to receive
loving forgiveness and unconditional
acceptance from those we hold dearest.
FASD presentation by Bruce
Ritchie. If you have the PowerPoint
Viewer on your computer, simply click on
Open in the next
screen. If not, you can Download
PowerPoint 2007 Viewer (Works with
Windows 2000, XP and Vista)
This Adobe PDF format booklet
is designed for caregivers and
professionals who, in their everyday
lives, encounter children and youth
affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder. Readers should be aware that
this Booklet provides strategies and
suggestions for people who already have
a base understanding of FASD. If you
would like more information on FASD,
please visit www.region6fasd.ca.
FASlink
presentation to the Legislative Assembly
of Ontario, Standing Committee on Social
Policy regarding Bill 118, Accessibility
for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2004
London, February 3, 2005
NOFAS -
National Organization on Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome - National Directory of
Professionals, Treatment Centers and
Support Groups for the United States
This web page is intended to
assist parents and caregivers seeking
information about services funded and/or
provided by the Ontario government for
children with physical, intellectual
and/or developmental disabilities,
mental health disorders, medical
problems or those who need specialized
services to participate in daily living
activities.
About 3.6
million Canadians have one or more
disabilities. That's more than one in
every eight Canadians. This guide about
Government of Canada services and programs
for people with disabilities provides
information on everything from employment,
accessibility and education, to health,
income support and tax benefits. A section
tells you how to contact your provincial
or territorial government to find out
about its programs and services for people
with disabilities.
Expanding understanding of the
relationship of FASD and mental health
creates more realistic expectations for
the children. Realistic expectations
change our behaviors toward children.
Provide a framework for interventions.
Southwest Michigan Children's Trauma
Assessment Center
This
newsletter was developed by FASD
Stakeholders for Ontario to provide
information that will help people in
Ontario work together to address FASD. The
newsletter reports on the activities of
FASD Stakeholders for Ontario, and shares
other news of relevance to individuals,
caregivers and service providers in
Ontario who are working in the area of
FASD. The newsletter includes information
about upcoming training events, new
resources, community activities etc.
General Indicators of Life
Expectancy and Mortality
The health of a population is determined
by many factors, and only partly the
result of government actions.
Nevertheless, information on government
programs affecting health can be better
interpreted when placed in the context
of the overall health status of
Canadians.
Copyright Comment
The original material on this
website has either been authored by Bruce
Ritchie or reproduced with the explicit or
implied permission of the authors or has
been published freely in an unrestricted
public forum on the Internet by the
authors. All browser software makes a
permanent copy on the visitor's computer
of each web page visited. By placing a
work on the Internet for without-charge
access, the author has automatically given
implied permission for that work to be
copied to any and all of
the hundreds of millions of computers
worldwide that have access to the
Internet. Under Canadian Copyright law
this implied permission to make copies
does not affect the copyright owner's
property rights but does give permission
to make further copies.
