Aims

To support the free and open dissemination of research findings and information on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. To encourage open access to peer-reviewed articles free for all to view.

For full versions of posted research articles readers are encouraged to email requests for "electronic reprints" (text file, PDF files, FAX copies) to the corresponding or lead author, who is highlighted in the posting.

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Monday, May 13, 2013

FASD News - 18/2013

 
 
 
American Academy of Pediatrics (USA) - Joint Call to Action on Alcohol and Pregnancy

Through its cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) the AAP Division of Children with Special Needs Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) program staff convened an FASD Risk Communication Workshop from July 30–31, 2012.


Science Network Western Australia (Australia) - Young people with FASD: treatment under law scrutinised

A SURVEY among police, corrective services and WA’s legal institutions has revealed 85 per cent of staff at various levels within the organisations have dealt with young people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).


The Northern Echo (UK) - Prime Minister praises Stockton foster carer who wins Big Society award

A FOSTER carer who set up a support group for families has been described as an "amazing woman" by Prime Minister David Cameron.


Eurekalert - Study finds women who drink alcohol before pregnancy less likely to take multivitamins

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego Department of Pediatrics and Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, a research affiliate of UC San Diego School of Medicine, have found a link between multivitamin use and alcohol consumption before pregnancy, uncovering a need for education about the importance of vitamin supplementation, particularly among women who drink alcohol during their childbearing years.


Womens Weekly (Australia) - Should bar staff refuse to serve alcohol to pregnant women?

Would you serve a pregnant woman alcohol? If not, you'd be acting illegally and could be sued, as Triana O'Keefe discovered recently.


NeuroDevNet - One week in FASD: conflicting insights on alcohol consumption in pregnancy in UK study and Canadian guideline

A new Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse guideline declares “zero’s the limit” for alcohol consumption for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, while the same week, the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology issued a press release on study suggesting light drinking during pregnancy is not linked to adverse behavioural or cognitive outcomes in childhood.


Drugfree.org - Commentary: Creating a Circle of Hope to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders

Kathleen Tavenner Mitchell, Vice President and National Spokesperson for the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, explains why she founded The Circle of Hope, a mentoring program for birth mothers of children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders.


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.




UPCOMING EVENTS

Asante Center - Annual FASD Fall Conference

The 6th Annual FASD Fall Conference: Understanding Trauma, will take place on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at Douglas College in New Westminster. Registration will open in early fall 2013.


First International Conference on Prevention of FASD

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.


NeuroDevNet - Call for Proposals - FASD Throughout the Lifespan and FACE Research Roundtable Sept. 5-7 2013

FASD Newfoundland is hosting a national FASD conference and research roundtable Sept. 5-6, 2013, followed by the 14th annual Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise (FACE) Research Roundtable Sept. 7, 2013 in St. John's Newfoundland.




VIDEOS and MATERIALS

YourAlberta - Talking with Women about Alcohol and Pregnancy

This session addresses FASD prevention in relation to how we communicate with pregnant women and women in their childbearing years that may be of risk.


Myles Himmelreich Speaks About Living with FASD

A young Calgary man living with FASD speaks out about his struggles.


YourAlberta - FASD 101: Diagnosis and Support of FASD

Dr. Andrew discusses the history and terminology of FASD, biological impact of alcohol on prenatal brain development, and diagnostic process with a multidisciplinary team.


YourAlberta - Teacher and Parent Relationships – FASD

In this session, Charlene, Debra and Jenifer explore effective educational strategies from the perspectives of a student, a parent, and a teacher.


YourAlberta - Cognitive Interventions for Individuals with FASD

Carmen and Jacquie will review previous research studies on cognitive interventions for children with FASD and discuss new Alberta-based research.


YourAlberta - FASD and Practice: Issues for School Administrators

In this session, the panel discusses the role of administrators in the process of educating students affected by FASD.


YourAlberta - Enhancing Employability for Persons with FASD

Annette and Brian discuss how FASD affects the brain, what types of jobs are more suited to people affected by FASD, and things employers should know.


YourAlberta - Opening the Brain Boxes – FASD

Brain Boxes is a program for youth that breaks the brain into "boxes", so that they can better understand the strong and vulnerable parts of the brain.


YourAlberta - The Implications of Neuroplasticity for a Brain Affected by FASD

The principles of brain plasticity and brain development when affected by FASD are reviewed. There is also discussion of the implications for interventions.


YourAlberta – MathDeficits-in-FASD


YourAlberta - Building Brain Boxes – FASD

By understanding how the brain works with the body, sensory inputs, and the social world, youth can make conscious choices in daily thinking.


YourAlberta - Friendship? Dating? Sex? Relationships in the Complex FASD World

This session explores issues in relationships for persons affected by FASD. Pam and Danna will discuss the skills needed to be successful in relationships.


YourAlberta - Reactive Attachment Disorder and FASD: A Bio-Psychosocial Model for Diagnosis and Treatment

Andrew and Wanda explore what attachment is, the process of attachment, attachment disorders, plus therapeutic and parenting strategies as it relates to FASD.


YourAlberta - Reframing Life with FASD

Candace, a young lady raised in foster care, shares her uplifting story on how she has been resilient, successful, and hopeful for herself and her children.


YourAlberta - Psychological Issues in Children and Adults with FASD

This workshop will explore the relationship between the needs of caregivers and the availability of resources for diagnosis, treatment and support for children with FASD.


YourAlberta - Creating a Brain-Friendly Life – FASD

A collaborative session intended for young people affected by FASD and those who support them.




RESEARCH

Addiction Medicine - The Impact of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Addiction Treatment

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are conditions caused by prenatal alcohol exposure in amounts sufficient to cause permanent deficits in brain functioning.


Behavioural Brain Research - Neonatal alcohol exposure impairs contextual fear conditioning in juvenile rats by disrupting cholinergic function

The context preexposure facilitation effect (CPFE) is a variant of context fear conditioning in which context preexposure facilitates conditioning to immediate foot shock.


Alcoholism - The Role of Acidemia in Maternal Binge Alcohol-Induced Alterations in Fetal Bone Functional Properties

Heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy negatively impacts the physical growth of the fetus. Although the deleterious effects of alcohol exposure during late gestation on fetal brain development are well documented, little is known about the effect on fetal bone mechanical properties or the underlying mechanisms.


Alcoholism - Rehabilitation Training Using Complex Motor Learning Rescues Deficits in Eyeblink Classical Conditioning in Female Rats Induced by Binge-Like Neonatal Alcohol Exposure

Effective treatments for the behavioral and cognitive deficits in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are lacking, and translational approaches using animal models can help develop rational interventions.


CPHA - Alcohol Use During Pregnancy in Canada: How Policy Moments Can Create Opportunities for Promoting Women’s Health

This article addresses the challenge of igniting action on health promotion for women in Canada with respect to alcohol use during pregnancy. We illustrate that accelerated action on health promotion for women that engages multiple levels of players, women-centred and harm-reduction frameworks and a gendered approach to understanding women’s lives can be achieved when the right policy moment occurs.




IN OTHER LANGUAGES

General-Anzeiger (Germany) - Im Mutterleib durch Alkohol geschädigt

Überforderung, Chaos und Verzweiflung ist was manche Menschen ihr Leben lang empfinden, weil sie durch den Alkoholkonsum ihrer Mutter während der Schwangerschaft geschädigt wurden. Sie leiden unter Fetalen Alkoholspektrum-Störungen, kurz: FASD für "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder".