NEWS and ARTICLES
NOFAS – NOFAS responds to “light drinking”
Research
Research published last week in BJOG: An
International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology affirms that, “…the safest
option for pregnant women is to avoid drinking [alcohol] during pregnancies.”
Although, if you read the headlines or the research sponsor’s news release you
wouldn’t find that statement anywhere.
Canada.com (Canada) - Signs warn of risk in
mixing booze, pregnancy
Nanaimo's liquor-service sector will soon be
required to warn patrons about the dangers of mixing alcohol with
pregnancy.
Canada FASD Research Network - Light Drinking
During Pregnancy: CanFASD Responds to Confusing Information That Continues to
Cloud the Issue
A recent article, in the BBC (April 16, 2013)
online reported about a study in an International Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology (BJOG). The headlines read: “Light drinking ‘not harmful to baby’
say scientists,” and “Light drinking during pregnancy does not harm child
behavioural or mental development.”
UPI.com - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
linked to pot's active ingredient
Endocannabinoids, compounds chemically similar
to the active ingredient in marijuana, play a role in fetal alcohol spectrum
disorders, U.S. researchers say.
The Toronto Observer (Canada) - Ad campaign
turning heads one belly at a time
While roaming around Toronto these days you
might have seen some interesting poster ads. Ads displaying words such as
‘love’, ‘joy’, ‘mom’ and ‘hope’, have been turning heads because the letter ‘O’
is actually the bare belly of a pregnant woman.
Northern Advocate (New Zealand) - Safer
Journeys - North mums-to-be putting babies at risk
Mums-to-be are putting their babies at risk by
continuing to drink during pregnancy, and even driving under the influence of
alcohol.
Medical Daily - Rich Women Most Likely to
Binge Drink
Binge drinking is a risk factor in many health
and social problems that affect women, including unintentional injuries,
violence, liver disease, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, breast and other
cancers, reduced cognitive function, and alcohol dependence.
VIDEOS and MATERIALS
YourAlberta - FASD Prevention: Women and
Pregnancy
This session provides background information on
FASD including data on alcohol use during pregnancy, how FASD can be prevented,
and challenges that are faced in interventions.
YourAlberta - The Role of the Grandmother in
FASD Care and Support
In this session, Florence and Donita explore the
seven stages of a woman's life, to create awareness of what the woman requires
at each stage and how best to support her.
YourAlberta - Engaging Students with
FASD
Dr. Jacqueline Pei gives a brief overview of the
challenges a child with FASD will face in the classroom environment and focus on
strategies for their success.
YourAlberta - Forensic Assessments of Youth
Affected by FASD
Dr. Ann Marie Dewhurst will discuss the
differences between traditional psychological assessments and forensic
assessments.
YourAlberta - Living with FASD - As a Person,
As a Parent
This session is intended to share the
experiences of a mother who both lives with a diagnosis of FASD and parents one
child with and one without FASD.
YourAlberta - Winning the Battle With FASD: A
Family Success Story
The Soetaert Family will provide an in depth
conversation of how a family of five affected by FASD cope with the day to day
challenges as well as successes.
YourAlberta - FASD and Practice: Issues for
Prosecutors
This session will provide a brief overview of
mental health provisions of the Criminal Code.
mofasorg - FASD Prevention
Do you know what FASD is? Can you describe one
symptom of someone with an FASD? Did you know that there are myths and facts
surrounding FASD? This training will help to answer those questions and will
provide strategies and resource information for you or someone that you know.
FASD is preventable.
YourAlberta - Financial Literacy for
Individuals with FASD
This session will examine the financial literacy
training needed by individuals with FASD.
Telethon Institute Newsletter - Alcohol,
Pregnancy and FASD Newsletter
Welcome to the Telethon Institute for Child
Health Research Alcohol, Pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
Research Group April 2013 Newsletter.
SAMSHA – FASD the Course
UPCOMING EVENTS
First International Conference on Prevention
of FASD - September 23 - 25, 2013
This is the first international conference to
address the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of FASD. Plenary sessions
will promote discussion and reflection on promising and innovative approaches
for preventing FASD, such as policies and programs to address alcohol use and
the social determinants of health.
Australasian FASD Conference - 19- 20
November 2013
The Public Health Association of Australia
(PHAA) and the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) invite you
to the Australasian Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Conference in
Brisbane on 19- 20 November 2013.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Best
Practices in the Last Frontier - May 22-24, 2013
IN OTHER LANGUAGES
YLE (Finland) - Alkoholivaurioituneet lapset
tarvitsevat enemmän tukea
Suomessa ei tarkkaan diagnosoida
alkoholivaurioituneita lapsia. Lapsi jolla on FASD, eli alkoholin altistuksen
aiheuttama monimuotoinen oireyhtymä, tarvitsee neuropsykologi Åse Fagerlundin
mukaan enemmän yhteiskunnan tukea.
Berliner Zeitung (Germany) - Expertin: Kinder
suchtkranker Eltern brauchen mehr Hilfe
Kinder suchtkranker Eltern brauchen nach Ansicht
von Experten noch mehr gezielte Hilfe aus der gesamten Gesellschaft.
RESEARCH
BJOG - Light drinking versus abstinence in
pregnancy – behavioural and cognitive outcomes in 7-year-old children: a
longitudinal cohort study
The findings suggest that light drinking during
pregnancy is not linked to developmental problems in mid-childhood. These
findings support current UK Department of Health guidelines on drinking during
pregnancy.
Alcoholism - Associations Between
Multivitamin Supplement Use and Alcohol Consumption Before Pregnancy: Pregnancy
Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 2004 to 2008
Approximately 50 to 70% of childbearing-aged
women consume alcohol and up to 23% of pregnancies have some level of prenatal
alcohol exposure.
The Journal of Neuroscience - Anandamide–CB1
Receptor Signaling Contributes to Postnatal Ethanol-Induced Neonatal
Neurodegeneration, Adult Synaptic, and Memory Deficits
The transient exposure of immature rodents to
ethanol during postnatal day 7 (P7), which is comparable with the third
trimester in human pregnancy, induces synaptic dysfunctions.
Health Education and Behavior - A Comparison
of Maternal Outcomes From an Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention Program
for Mothers Choosing an Intervention Versus Being Randomized
Self-determination theory and substantial
research findings suggest that more desirable outcomes may occur when
participants are able to choose their prevention or treatment interventions, as
having a choice may lead to greater motivation and feelings of
self-efficacy.
Disease Models and Mechanisms - Long lasting
alterations to DNA methylation and ncRNAs may underlie the effects of fetal
alcohol exposure
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are
characterized by life long changes in gene expression, neurodevelopment, and
behavior. What mechanisms initiate and maintain these changes are not known, but
current research suggests a role for alcohol induced epigenetic changes.
