From rosse at ncf.ca Tue Jun 1 11:31:40 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Tue Jun 1 10:53:42 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Ideas for FASD Awareness Day 2010 Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100601103131.044ebdb0@ncf.ca> June 1 What are you and your community planning for International FASD Awareness Day Sept. 9, 2010? People should share ideas. Let's try to get media coverage for FASD this year. There are lots of ideas on Teresa Kellerman's FASDAY website: http://www.fasday.com/ It is up to date till 2009. September 9 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day is included by Health Canada in its Calendar of Health Promotion Days 2010 http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/conferences/calend/index-eng.php The FACE Research Roundtable which is often held on September 9 will be on September 14 this year, 2010 in Vancouver. FACE (Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise) is a network of nearly 200 researchers, program providers and other stakeholders, actively engaged in FASD prevention and intervention. http://www.motherisk.org/FAR/econtent_conferences.jsp#2 (You can also see webcasts from 2002 - 2009) 11th FACE Research Roundtable ? Call for Poster Abstracts Abstract Submission Deadline: July 30, 2010 (but please don?t wait until then!) Sure the Vancouver Olympics were fun, but wait ?til you see what?s in store at the 11th annual FACE Research Roundtable, September 14, 2010 in Vancouver, BC! Planning is underway and as always, FACE will feature a scientific poster display and competition. We invite poster submissions on all topics of medical and social science research related to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. All applicants will be notified of acceptance within 2 weeks of receipt of abstract submission. All accepted abstracts will be published in the on-line Canadian Journal of Clinical Pharmacology/Fetal Alcohol Research at http://cjcp.ca/hm/. The Best Poster for Original Research and the Best Student Poster will be recognized. PRIZES FOR WINNING POSTERS: Best Poster Award for Original Research will receive $200. Best Student Poster Award for excellence by a trainee will receive $150.00 Download Guidelines for Preparing Abstracts From rosse at ncf.ca Tue Jun 1 13:08:12 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Tue Jun 1 12:53:54 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Health & Wellbeing in Children, Youth, & Adults with Developmental Disabilities Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100601120803.04761c10@ncf.ca> Skipped content of type multipart/related-------------- next part -------------- From rosse at ncf.ca Tue Jun 1 13:08:29 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Tue Jun 1 12:54:31 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] FASD Ontario News Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100601120822.04761980@ncf.ca> Skipped content of type multipart/related-------------- next part -------------- From rosse at ncf.ca Tue Jun 1 13:08:47 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Tue Jun 1 13:27:45 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Ontario: Planning for FASD Day on a tight budget? Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100601120838.047616f0@ncf.ca> Skipped content of type multipart/related-------------- next part -------------- From rosse at ncf.ca Wed Jun 2 17:48:32 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Wed Jun 2 16:52:30 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Lethbridge program teaches skills to help Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder victims Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100602164824.0674ad20@ncf.ca> From: Judy Pakozdy Subject: FASD Certificate Program at Lethbridge College. Hi Elspeth; I'm teaching 3 classes in this course online at present and loving it! The students are so enthusiastic!! Judy From: Kimberley Norbury-sulin [mailto:kimberley.norbury-sulin@lethbridgecollege.ca] Sent: Friday, May 28, 2010 3:32 PM To: Subject: May 2010 eCampusAlberta eZine FYI Please see the article below in this month's ecampus Alberta on line magazine about our FASD Education program. Too bad I didn't get to proof read the title of the article before they sent it in .aside from that they did a pretty good job of presenting information about what we, at Lethbridge College have to offer. Feel free to share with others. I've already had one email this morning in response to the article! Thanks!! Kimber Norbury-Sulin Coordinator - DCR, FASD and School Based Practicum Centre for Health, Justice and Human Services School of Human Services Lethbridge College 3000 College Dr. South (403) 329-7253 http://driveit.clickspace.com/linkTo/1287116/1000618/4906844 eCampusAlberta Lethbridge program teaches skills to help Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder victims Three years ago, Lethbridge College introduced the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Education certificate program now offered through eCampusAlberta. This spring, the first seven students to complete the program received their certificates and three of them even traveled all the way to Lethbridge from Ontario to attend the convocation ceremonies. ?The students were very excited to participate in convocation and have told me they truly feel connected to this institution,? says Kimber Norbury-Sulin, Coordinator, Disability and Community Rehabilitation and FASD Education. ?They were so happy to finally put a face to each other and to those of us they have spoken to many times or had as instructors during their time at Lethbridge College,? Norbury-Sulin says. The one-year certificate program, which can be taken full time or part time, addresses the growing need to understand how to better support individuals affected by FASD, which includes a complex brain-based spectrum of disabilities resulting from a pre-natal exposure to alcohol. The information I learned in the class definitely has been an eye-opening experience for me. Working in the school district, I am finding that I am able to utilize what I?ve learned constantly, which is fantastic. ? Nikki Gordon, FASD Education graduate Norbury-Sulin says the skills and tools required to work specifically with those people affected by FASD are very different from conventional disability rehabilitation techniques. ?We are one of only a handful of post-secondary programs in Canada that offer skills related to supporting individuals affected by FASD,? she says. ?The program teaches real intervention techniques in addition to providing academic knowledge. When people find our program they?re ecstatic.? While all courses are online, the program includes two practicum opportunities, which students complete in their own communities. Students, numbering around 30 at any given time, are from across Canada and are, for the most part, professionals already working in the human services field who want to supplement their knowledge. ?We decided to offer the program online because we felt we could reach more individuals. Since most of our students are working, online courses allow them to juggle work, home life and their studies.? Students can enrol right out of high school and mature applicants lacking the academic prerequisites may seek alternate admission, which involves a review of their education and work experience. The program also offers a fast-track option for professionals who already hold a diploma or degree in a related discipline. Norbury-Sulin says integration sessions or web conferences are an important part of the program. ?The integration sessions provide a virtual classroom where students can talk to each other, trade stories and discuss their practicum experiences. They allow students to feel connected to one another and supported by their instructors.? Program graduates usually find careers in: * Addictions support services * Special education * Employment support services * Mental health * Residential support services * Foster care services * Child and youth care services * Family services and support * Justice agencies Graduates are also eligible to enter into year two of the Disability and Community Rehabilitation diploma program, which is also offered by Lethbridge College through eCampusAlberta. Learn more at: www.ecampusalberta.ca Learn more about Lethbridge College?s distance education programs and distributed learning strategy. [Photo] FASD Education graduates, from left: Terri Terrance, Marilyn Leiterman and Linda Purdy with Kimber Norbury-Sulin (second from right). Lethbridge College -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100602/10cd6c77/attachment.html From rosse at ncf.ca Fri Jun 4 23:22:20 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Fri Jun 4 22:28:17 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] New Democrat MP Wasylycia-Leis calls it quits after 13 years in federal politics (2 articles) Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100604205819.03b1be90@ncf.ca> [We will miss Judy Wasylycia-Leis in Parliament. She brought many petitions, held press conferences, trying again and again for legislation on warning labels.]ER "...She served as caucus chair, finance critic and health critic, winning support for some key legislation, including fetal-alcohol syndrome warning labels on alcohol bottles, prohibitions on candy-flavoured cigarillos and improved toy safety standards...." http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/new-democrat-mp-wasylycia-leis-calls-it-quits-after-13-years-in-federal-politics-92183889.html Winnipeg Free Press Breaking News The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION New Democrat MP Wasylycia-Leis calls it quits after 13 years in federal politics By: THE CANADIAN PRESS 27/04/2010 10:20 AM | OTTAWA - New Democrat MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis is leaving federal politics. Effective Saturday, Wasylycia-Leis will resign the Winnipeg North seat she has held since 1997. A former culture minister in the Manitoba government of Howard Pawley, Wasylycia-Leis said Tuesday it's the right time to move on. She said she wants to spend time with her family before making an announcement about her future. Wasylycia-Leis, 58, represented the Winnipeg seat once held by legendary New Democrat MP Stanley Knowles. She served as caucus chair, finance critic and health critic, winning support for some key legislation, including fetal-alcohol syndrome warning labels on alcohol bottles, prohibitions on candy-flavoured cigarillos and improved toy safety standards. NDP Leader Jack Layton said Wasylycia-Leis has been one of the country's most determined and effective health-care advocates. "Judy has been a warrior on this issue in our caucus," Layton said in a statement, echoing praise from Shirley Douglas, daughter of medicare founder Tommy Douglas, who once called her "Canada's medicare warrior." "She has been a much-valued member of our caucus," said Layton. "She will be a hard act to follow. "I wish her well in her next adventure. I know she will always be a loyal member of the New Democrat family. We'll miss her cheerful can-do attitude." http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/breakingnews/Wasylycia-Leis-bids-farewell-to-House-of-Commons-92349744.html Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION Wasylycia-Leis bids farewell to House of Commons By: Mia Rabson 28/04/2010 4:01 PM | [Photo of Judy Wasylycia-Leis] ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis gestures as she speaks with media outside the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday April 27, 2010. Wasylycia-Leis announced today that she is leaving federal politics and will be resigning the seat she has held for Winnipeg North since 1997. OTTAWA - Winnipeg North MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis delivered her farewell speech to the House of Commons this afternoon. Wasylycia-Leis, 58, will resign her seat Saturday, ending a nearly 13-year career in Parliament as an MP. She is widely expected to announce next week she is running for mayor in Winnipeg though she has not confirmed that and says she has to consult with her family and friends before making a final decision. "This is not an easy day," she said opening the seven-minute speech. The speech was a mixture of self-deprecation, gratitude and humour, including a note that her parents always called her the perfect child until she learned how to talk, and that she was leaving Parliament just when her party might be in a "three-way race". A recent poll had the NDP at 20, to the Liberals 27 and Conservatives 29. It was the tightest three-way showing of the three parties most can remember. MPs from all party's paid tribute to Wasylycia-Leis including Conservative Merv Tweed who pointed out Wasylycia-Leis was the first and only graduate of the Parliamentary internship program who was elected as an MP and noted her "contagious laugh" and "generosity." Liberal Anita Neville called Wasylycia-Leis "strong and feisty" and a "vigorous defender" of Canada's public health care system. NDP Leader Jack Layton said Wasylycia-Leis was instrumental in bringing more women into the NDP fold including as candidates and elected MPs. "There is no question we are going to miss her in so many ways," he said. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100604/3b5b405c/attachment-0001.html From rosse at ncf.ca Fri Jun 4 21:58:58 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Fri Jun 4 22:28:30 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Funding freeze hurting disabled: Calgary Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100604205819.03aa5f28@ncf.ca> "...reversed cuts to foster care, why can?t the same be done for adults with Down syndrome, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or other serious conditions?..." www.canada.com 12 Apr 2010 Calgary Herald KELLY CRYDERMAN CALGARY HERALD Funding freeze hurting disabled City agencies forced to reject new clients Social agencies that help adults with disabilities are turning some new clients away in Calgary, as they face a provincial funding freeze they say will hurt the city?s most vulnerable. Those speaking for the families of people who use the province?s Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program say if Alberta?s health minister has stepped in to halt hospital bed closures in recent months, and the children?s services minister has reversed cuts to foster care, why can?t the same be done for adults with Down syndrome, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or other serious conditions? ?We think the same adjustments should be made for people with disabilities,? said Bruce Uditsky, CEO of the Alberta Association for Community Living, a group that represents the families of disabled adults. As the province wrestles with a deficit budget this fiscal year, funding for PDD is essentially unchanged from last year ? at just under $600 million. However, the PDD regions are having to cope with a wide range of new costs, including increased wages for employees, expanding case loads and other inflationary pressures. Agencies that provide services say they have no choice but to cut programs or stop accepting new clients. ?I don?t think people with disabilities should be paying for pension liability or government wage increases by reducing their supports. That seems to me highly questionable,? Uditsky said. Community Supports Minister Mary Anne Jablonski said she knows it?s going to be a difficult year for the program. But she noted funding for PDD is holding relatively steady when compared to other provincial social programs, and Alberta?s system is already more generous than provinces with similar programs, such as British Columbia, Manitoba or Ontario. ?All ministers with social programs are faced with fiscal realities and cost pressures,? Jablonski said in an interview Sunday. See page 6 DISABLED: ?It?s a constant state of fear? From page A1 ?I do remain committed to helping our PDD clients and I?ll continue to watch to ensure that their health and safety is looked after.? The minister added, ?it is still early in the budget year.? Alberta adults with disabilities are eligible for certain services, including help finding a job or social outings. Services aren?t provided directly by the government, but through small, localized social agencies. Those social agencies receive provincial dollars through regional authorities ? similar to the old system of health authorities. On the ground in Calgary, some agencies are fearful about taking on new clients, given the financial uncertainty of this year. Already, they have signed contracts with the ?authority that enact a small cut to their annual funding. ?I can?t see anything else but people having problems getting service,? said Ryan Geake, executive director of the Calgary Scope Society. He said his group has turned away about a dozen clients in the past year. ?Organizations are cutting services to existing people. So where they?re going to get money for new folks is a question that we?re all asking.? Alex Hillyard, chief executive of Calgary?s PDD regional authority, said there are about 2,400 adults being helped in the Calgary area. Each year sees a net increase of 40 to 60 clients. He acknowledges that as the money makes its way down the pipe, PDD agencies in Calgary have to cut about 1.5 per cent from their budgets while managing a host of new costs. That could impact services as well as the agencies? ability to immediately take on new clients. ?There will be delays given certain circumstances,? Hillyard said, noting the region will find ways of managing the situation. ?I can understand some agencies being hesitant.? Hillyard said he is trying to lessen the impact of the funding freeze by cutting expenses at his office as much as possible. A meeting later this month will see if there can be further efficiencies at agencies. That could include actions such as changing staffing ratios, and ? as an example ? having one worker care for two clients when previously care was given on a one on-one basis. Hillyard added they?ll be looking at ?how people could be a little more independent. ?It is a strain on everyone, but it?s a function of the times.? Calgarian Cory Leavins, whose 20-year-old daughter Amy is in PDD programming, said his family has benefited from what he said is a generally good program. He worries that some groups are engaged in ?fearmongering? in ?regards to budget cuts. At the same time, he feels the program would be aided by more stable government funding. ?This cycle of giving and taking back all the time has got to stop,? Leavins said. ?It?s a constant state of fear.? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100604/f5fa84d7/attachment-0001.html From rosse at ncf.ca Fri Jun 4 21:59:08 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Fri Jun 4 22:28:36 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Nunavut fights back at bootlegging trade Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100604205818.03b1ca08@ncf.ca> ?...'How many of our inmates are affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorder? It's hard to even calculate that number.'...? http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/nunavut-fights-back-at-bootlegging-trade/article1539993/ Globe & Mail National Nunavut fights back at bootlegging trade Small fines are no deterrent when liquor smugglers can haul in as much as $15,000 in a weekend, Justice Minister says Iqaluit ? The Canadian Press Published on Monday, Apr. 19, 2010 10:32PM EDT Last updated on Monday, Apr. 19, 2010 10:33PM EDT The Nunavut government is fed up with bootleggers making $10,000 in a single weekend and is moving to deal with the territory's crippling alcohol problem. An effort to reform the territory's liquor laws begins today, but Nunavut's Justice Minister is already talking about sky-high fines for bootleggers, and legislation to allow the government to confiscate their homes, boats and snowmobiles. ?You've got bootleggers making $10,000 or $15,000 in a weekend; a small fine is insignificant to them,? said Keith Peterson. ?But if they're at risk of a $25,000 or $50,000 fine, or if you can lose all your assets from the proceeds of crime, that could make some of the bigger bootleggers think twice.? Mr. Peterson is to meet with the 10 people on a ministerial task force charged with holding public hearings in all 25 Nunavut communities on how liquor should be controlled. The whole review is expected to take about 18 months, Peterson said, but he hopes bootlegging can be attacked right away. Liquor is already tightly controlled in Nunavut. The territory has no liquor stores. In five communities, including Iqaluit, anyone who wants a bottle of wine or a case of beer has to get a permit, order the alcohol in and pick it up at a government warehouse. In 13 other communities, ?alcohol education committees? decide whether to grant a permit based on an order's size and the reputation of the person placing it. And in seven communities, no liquor is allowed at all ? at least officially. Alcohol, however, is widely available. One Baffin Island community, supposedly dry, recently felt it necessary to pass a public intoxication bylaw. Police calculate they've seized about $400,000 worth of liquor and cash in the first quarter of this year. In one recent weekend, Iqaluit RCMP broke up a bootlegging ring that had stockpiled about $235,000 in alcohol and liquor permits. The potential profits provide the explanation. Mr. Peterson said a 1.1-litre bottle of vodka sells for anywhere from $200 to $450, depending on the size of the community. Police estimates are even higher ? up to $600. And there's no doubt about alcohol's social implications in the North. ?Most of the violence in Nunavut is because of alcohol,? Mr. Peterson said. ?Iqaluit, it's no secret how violent it is. We all know people who have died from abuse of alcohol up here.? The capital registered 2,650 liquor offences in 2009 and averages nearly 1,000 assaults a year in a population of 7,000. The territory's rate of sexual assault in 2007 was 10 times the Canadian rate. The toll is often felt in the next generation, Mr. Peterson said. ?How many of our inmates are affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorder? It's hard to even calculate that number.? Community members have to do their part as well, he suggested. ?We have to encourage people to talk to their local education committees, talk to their local RCMP, talk to the mayors of the communities and not leave it solely up to the RCMP to catch.? Although the liquor law review will encompass more than just bootlegging, targeting the sellers of illegal booze is a good place to start, Peterson said. ?With enough early feedback, we could start making some immediate changes to existing legislation ? increase the fines for bootlegging, introduction of civil forfeiture legislation. ?These individuals who have no visible means of support ... have houses and vehicles. Unless they have won the lottery or received an inheritance, where did the money come from?? The Canadian Press -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100604/f484fb0c/attachment-0001.html From rosse at ncf.ca Fri Jun 4 23:23:20 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Fri Jun 4 22:28:42 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Program helps FASD kids and their families: Manitoba Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100604205818.03ad4ca0@ncf.ca> http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/program-helps-fasd-kids-and-their-families-91794529.html Winnipeg Free Press Local Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION Program helps FASD kids and their families By: Carol Sanders 22/04/2010 1:00 AM ONCE a month, kids in care with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder get to go to camp and fit in while their families get a break, thanks to a respite program announced by the province Wednesday. The Stepping Out on Saturdays program began in Winnipeg last week with 18 children aged four to 12 at the Rehabilitation Centre for Children. Later this spring, it will involve 72 kids when it expands to Brandon, Thompson and Little Grand Rapids. "It's a chance for children to feel more involved," said Shannon Barr, the occupational therapist who runs the Winnipeg SOS program. "Especially when, in school, they often feel like they're different," said Barr. "Their self-esteem is increased." She and a staff of seven get the children involved in activities like role playing and board games to work on social skills and co-operation with lots of positive reinforcement. "Younger groups learn things like taking turns and sharing." Barr said she's encouraged by the program that's trying to help kids when they're young. "Early intervention is always the best." Their foster parents and caregivers are also benefitting from the intervention, Barr said. Some families are caring for three or four children with FASD, she said. "It's great for them to have a day to themselves." The therapists in the program work with the children on problems identified by the families. Kids who need extra help with skills are identified and can get help one-on-one at home from a visiting therapist, Barr said. The monthly respite camp runs to December. Fifteen children are on the waiting list for the Winnipeg SOS program. The $342,000 project is part of Manitoba's FASD strategy, launched in April 2007. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 22, 2010 A4 5 Comments You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback. Posted by: Charlie April 23, 2010 at 2:15 AM There is a lot of education and awarness about FASD. In bars, lounges and pubs there are posters about not drinking during pregnancy in the bathroom and inside stalls. The liquor stores also have similar posters and there are commercials on TV. I feel for the children who have FAS and who were brought into this world by people who probably saw (see) them as a burden. If you really cared about your unborn child, you would stop drinking the moment you found out you were pregnant and get help doing so if you need it. It's great there is a camp for these kids. The break I'm picturing the parents getting is probably different from the break they are getting. During the time that the kids are at camp, the parents should have to look for work if unemployed or upgrade their skills making them more employable. ... Posted by: Camille April 22, 2010 at 10:05 PM Yes FASD is preventable, but so is war and world hunger...how are we doing on those fronts? This a complicated issue that is not as simple as "don't drink while you are pregnant". We have known since the 1970's that alcohol crosses the placenta and yet we are no closer to eliminating FASD than we were two decades ago. Shame and guilt have got us nowhere and the children, who have a life long brain based physical disability are bearing the brunt of all of this. I congratulate you Winnipeg, for helping the parents (birth, foster or adoptive) that are raising children with an FASD. Parenting a child with an FASD is a lifelong challenge, and there is a chronic lack of funding in this area. But, these are children who have incredible potential and there is always hope. Thank you for providing much needed respite for these families! The better job we do of supporting parents the better job we do of supporting the children. ... Posted by: Dyl April 22, 2010 at 5:49 PM I got an idea! don't drink when pregnant! that will solve the problem! How hard is it to understand? This advice will cost the tax payers nothing! ... Posted by: dyachison April 22, 2010 at 1:42 PM What about the parents that caused this problem how much of the $342,000 are they paying to fund the program. Where are they? Making more children with the same problem. Please free us all from these people. ... Posted by: riseabove April 22, 2010 at 9:53 AM The title of the article is very BAD! It should be kids who have FASD not FASD kids. People first language freepress. The comment period for this story has ended. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100604/d356b47c/attachment.html From rosse at ncf.ca Fri Jun 4 23:31:54 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Fri Jun 4 22:34:19 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] UW program helps kids with fetal alcohol syndrome Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100604211042.03b15c30@ncf.ca> http://www.king5.com/health/childrens-healthlink/UW-program-helps-kids-with-fetal-alcohol-syndrome-92587064.html KING5.com Seattle, Washington State UW program helps kids with fetal alcohol syndrome by JEAN ENERSEN / KING 5 News KING5.com Posted on May 1, 2010 at 11:28 AM Whether he's entertaining classmates with his halftime talents or thrilling them with his lip synching talent, 14-year-old Brandan Gelo isn't letting fetal alcohol syndrome stop him. That doesn't surprise his adoptive mother. "Just having a diagnosis, just having, you know, prenatal alcohol exposure doesn't equate to a certain outcome," said Brandan's adoptive mother, Julie. The Gelo family includes eight foster and adopted children who were exposed to alcohol and drugs in the womb. Brandan and Tessa are two of them. Julie Gelo heads the family advocate program for a special clinic at the University of Washington. It's where most of her kids were diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. The diagnosis was developed at the UW in 1968. Researchers discovered distinct facial features, such as smaller eyes and thin upper lips, in kids whose mothers drank during pregnancy. "The more severe the facial features, the more severe the cognitive problems, and the structural damage that you can see if you did an MRI of their brain," said Dr. Susan Astley, who directs the statewide network of FAS clinics. She says the disorder leaves kids shorter than peers and affects how they think and behave. But each child is different. "Some children have low IQ's. Some have normal IQ's. Some have memory problems, some don't. Many of them have attention deficit problems. Many of them experience problems with planning, organization, that sort of thing," said Dr. Astley. The Gelo family has dealt with all those issues. Julie, in her role at the clinic, connects other parents to resources and interventions that make home and school go more smoothly. Tessa's favorite is a group for FAS teens who struggle with maintaining friendships. "I go to the social skills group, and like if you have a problem you can talk about it," said 17-year-old Tessa. All supports that help these kids and others like them find their way. Because more mother avoid alcohol during pregnancy, the number of kids born with fetal alcohol syndrome has gone down steadily in Washington state. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100604/53a01ee1/attachment.html From rosse at ncf.ca Fri Jun 4 22:14:06 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Fri Jun 4 22:40:16 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Program Aims to Help Children with Difficulties: Winnipeg Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100511101917.04504a70@ncf.ca> http://topnews.us/content/217758-program-aims-help-children-difficulties Top News United States Program Aims to Help Children with Difficulties Submitted by Amit Pathania on Thu, 04/22/2010 - 18:32 Children suffering from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or FASD can also have a chance to lead normal lives, following a special program announced for them. This program has already started in Winnipeg, last week with 18 children between 4 to 12 years of age. It was started at Rehabilitation Centre for Children. The initiative aims to involve around 72 children, after expanding to other places. This program aims to integrate these children into the mainstream and help them feel normal. The students co-operate in various tasks which aim to develop their social skills, self-esteem and participation in these activities. These activities are also helpful for their foster parents, as well as caregivers. Experts with detailed insight about these problems work with these kids and help them to feel normal. The children also get one to one help, if necessary. Experts from the medical feel that, these camps are very important for these children and can really help them pick up and learn various skills. These children may not be able to get these skills in a classroom or at home. This program has been made possible by a funding of $342,000 from Changes for Children. This program aims at the welfare of children through proper intervention and community building activities. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100604/6ce7dc8c/attachment-0001.html From rosse at ncf.ca Fri Jun 4 22:32:29 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Fri Jun 4 22:40:26 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] =?iso-8859-1?q?Let=92s_talk_alcohol_and_dru?= =?iso-8859-1?q?gs=3A_Nigeria?= Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100604213217.03b79388@ncf.ca> "...Drinking during pregnancy significantly increases the chance of delivering a baby with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; ..." http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201005233301789 Punch on the web Nigeria's most widely read newspaper Let's talk alcohol and drugs (1) By Gloria Ogunbadejo Sunday, 23 May 2010 ON an intellectual level or even on a common sense level I think it would be a fair assumption to make that we all know that excessive use of either alcohol or illicit drugs could be detrimental to our physical and/or psychological health. What might not be so obvious is the devastating long-term impact on our health of what many of us might consider to be social drinking. I know I was alarmed from the results of my research, the harmful effects of what I considered to be relatively small levels of alcohol intake, on a regular and prolonged basis. Most of us may think we all have some idea of how much we drink and when and where we drink. But unless we are actually paying attention to our intake at any given time or social setting, we might actually be underestimating just how much we are consuming and the effects it may be having. A drinker tends to experience mild euphoria and loss of inhibition as alcohol impairs regions of the brain controlling behaviour and emotion. Alcohol impairs judgement, memory, concentration and coordination; and can induce extreme mood swings and emotional outbursts. Alcohol acts as a sedative on the central nervous system, depressing the nerve cells in the brain, dulling, altering and damaging their ability to respond. Large doses has the potential to cause sleep, anaesthesia, respiratory failure, and in extreme cases coma and death. Long-term drinking may result in permanent, serious mental disorders and addiction to alcohol. Some other effects on the central nervous system include impaired visual ability, unclear hearing, dulled smell and taste, loss of pain perception, altered sense of time and space, slower reactions, and impaired fine motor skills and slurred speech. Alcohol distorts vision and the ability to adjust to lights. It diminishes the ability to distinguish between sounds and to perceive their direction. High amounts of alcohol may cause breathing to stop, which could eventually lead to death. It can also lower our resistance to infection. Chronic heavy drinking may cause inflammation and destruction of liver cells, leading to cirrhosis (irreversible lesions, scarring and destruction of liver) it impairs the livers ability to remove yellow pigment resulting in skin appearing yellow (jaundiced). Liver damage causes fluid to build in extremities (Edema).The liver accumulates fat over a period of time, due to the prolonged drinking which can cause liver failure. Abuse of alcohol weakens the heart muscle and its ability to pump (cardiomyopathy). The heart can be enlarged or abnormal and beat irregularly as a result. Blood pressure is increased with all the attendant problems such as risk of heart attack and strokes and the potential to inhibit the production of white and red blood cells. The stomach can also be affected with irritation of the stomach lining, peptic ulcers, inflammation and bleeding lesions and even cancer. Alcohol interferes with the body's ability to absorb calcium resulting in bones being weak, soft and brittle. Muscles become weaker and could shrink in size or waste away (atrophy). The reproductive system of men and women can also be affected. Sexual functioning can be impaired and deteriorate, resulting in impotence and infertility which can be irreversible. Women have also been known to have the potential to develop breast cancer. This is the quickest way to age prematurely, especially for women, by causing wrinkles. So from a vanity point of view it offers no favours. Drinking during pregnancy significantly increases the chance of delivering a baby with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; small head, possible brain damage, abnormal facial features, poor muscle tone, sleep and speech disorders and retarded growth and development. The UK Governments official guidelines say that men should drink no more than 3-4 units per day, for women, its 2-3 units per day. A bottle of beer in the UK is 330ml, and up to 3 bottles would count for 4 units. A bottle of wine of 12% alcohol content is 9 units, a glass is 2 units. Obviously there are many variables to these measurements such as the size of the glass and the alcohol content of your preferred drink. It is also recommended that you have at least two alcohol free days. Alcohol is also very calorific, and as we know is not waistline friendly The drugs I will be using for reference in this article are Marijuana, Skunk, Crack Cocaine/Cocaine. We have new generation of young people who have been exposed to a lot of vices and are experimenting with shocking results. Part of the 'sophistication' in our city is the access to the latest illicit drugs as they become available in the US an UK While there is no conclusive proof that Marijuana (cannabis) causes severe long-term mental health problems and many people who use cannabis will experience mental health as a result. However, cannabis will have a harmful effect on the mental health of a fair number of individuals, in particular young people. I can attest to this through my work with mental health patients. A good number of clients who have been admitted to hospital have admitted to be abusing alcohol and illicit drugs. The strength of the association between cannabis use and mental health problems varies for different people and across different types of mental health disorders. The risks seem to be highest for young people, those who use cannabis heavily and regularly and those who suffer from, or have a vulnerability to mental illness. In young people the brain is still developing during adolescence which means that the brain may be more vulnerable through the exposure to cannabis. Several recent studies in the UK suggest that cannabis used regularly during adolescence is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing schizophrenia or other psychosis, often after a delay of several years. Other mental health problems that can potentially develop as a result of the use of cannabis are Panic attacks, which is a sudden rush of overwhelming fear that comes often without warning and without any obvious reason. They can happen anywhere and at any time. Psychotic symptoms are the specific abnormalities of mood, thought and experience, such as hallucinations or delusional beliefs that may occur in isolation (for example as an acute effect of cannabis or other drug use) or with other psychotic symptoms. Psychosis is a general description for an acute or chronic abnormal state of mind. Using cannabis can cause temporary psychotic and/or hallucinatory symptoms or states of mind. Skunk is a generic name often used to describe a potent form of the cannabis plant. In fact skunk is only one of 100 or so varieties of the cannabis plant which have high levels of Tetrahydrocannabinol(THC). Skunk (and other similar varieties) is produced by using a variety of cultivation techniques to produce specific, desired effects. The main effects are the same as any cannabis but, because of the strength of some varieties, many report the onset of effects as being quicker. Some of the more common effects include: elation, profound relaxation, alteration of time and perception, transient hallucinations, uncontrollable laughing, increased sociability and talkativeness, nervousness, anxiety and mild paranoia (much less than with the use of cannabis). Sources: Alcohol Concern UK, Bodycare Products UK, Druglink UK, Drugscope UK, Mind UK, DOH UK, Mental illness and Cannabis: Lifeline Pub UK Contents in this article are only meant for information and should not be used to diagnose any medical condition. If you are affected or know someone who is affected by any of the issues, you must consult a Health professional. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100604/2d5e559e/attachment-0001.html From rosse at ncf.ca Fri Jun 4 23:10:00 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Fri Jun 4 22:46:16 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Folate prevents alcohol-induced congenital heart defects in mice Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100604213217.01fe77e0@ncf.ca> http://www.physorg.com/news193923856.html physorg.com Research Folate prevents alcohol-induced congenital heart defects in mice May 24, 2010 A new animal study has found that high levels of the B-vitamin folate (folic acid) prevented heart birth defects induced by alcohol exposure in early pregnancy, a condition known as fetal alcohol syndrome. Researchers at the University of South Florida College of Medicine and All Children's Hospital report that the protection was afforded only when folate was administered very early in pregnancy and before the alcohol exposure. The dose that best protected against heart defects in mice was considerably higher than the current dietary recommendation of 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily for women of child-bearing age. The findings were published online earlier this month in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. While more research is needed, the study has implications for re-evaluating folate supplementation levels during early pregnancy, said principal investigator Kersti Linask, PhD, the Mason Professor of Cardiovascular Development at USF and Children's Research Institute/All Children's Hospital. "Congenital heart defects can occur in the developing embryo at a time when women typically do not even know they are pregnant - 16 to 18 days following conception. They may have been drinking alcohol or using prescription drugs without realizing this could be affecting embryonic development," Dr. Linask said. "We found that we could prevent alcohol-associated defects from arising in the mice -- provided folate was given in relatively high concentrations very early in pregnancy around conception." In the USF study, two randomly assigned groups of pregnant mice were fed diets supplemented by folate in adjusted doses known from epidemiological studies to rescue human embryos from craniofacial birth defects. From the day after conception, one group received a high dose of folate supplementation (10.5 milligrams/kilogram) and the second received a moderate dose (6.2 mg/kg). A third control group ate a normal folate-supplemented diet (3.3 mg/kg) determined to maintain the general health of the pregnant mice, but not to rescue embryos from birth defects. During the first week of pregnancy, the mice in all three groups were then administered injections of alcohol simulating a single binge drinking event in humans. Following this alcohol exposure, Doppler ultrasound confirmed that 87 percent of the embryos of pregnant mice in the third group - those not receiving folate supplementation beyond what was present in their normal diets - had developed heart valve defects. The affected embryos were also smaller in size and their heart muscle walls appeared thinner. Between days 15 and 16 of pregnancy in the mice - equal to 56 days of gestation in humans -- ultrasound also showed that the high-folate diet protected heart valve development against lasting defects and restored heart function and embryonic size to near-normal levels. The moderate-folate diet provided only partial protection; in this group 58 percent of the mouse embryos developed heart valves that functioned abnormally, with a back flow of blood. The researchers suggest that folate fortification may be most effective at preventing heart birth defects when administered at significantly higher levels than the doses currently recommended to prevent pregnancy complications -- both in normal women (0.4 milligrams recommended daily) and even in women who have delivered an infant with a spinal birth defect (4 milligrams daily). Although higher folate levels did not cause adverse side effects in the pregnant mice, Dr. Linask notes, the safety and effectiveness of higher doses must be proven with human trials. The heart is the first organ to form and function during embryonic development of vertebrates. The USF researchers suggest that folate supplementation thwarts alcohol's damaging effect on an important early signaling pathway that plays a vital role in early heart development and subsequently in valve formation. Provided by University of South Florida -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100604/257f1d83/attachment.html From rosse at ncf.ca Fri Jun 4 23:43:24 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Fri Jun 4 22:46:22 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Valuable lesson for students: Saskatchewan Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100604212817.01fe7ed0@ncf.ca> "...Students worked in homecare, community health, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder programming, and at the band's group home for youth with disabilities...." Valuable lesson for students Pamela Cowan. Leader Post. Regina, Sask.: May 7, 2010. pg. A.7 Caring for patients hasn't been the same for six student nurses since they met David in Lac La Ronge. Annette Kjargaard was one of the senior nursing students from the Nursing Education Program of Saskatchewan who spent three weeks last May and June with the Lac La Ronge Indian band in northern Saskatchewan. "David was an elderly man who became a client of homecare as a result of a chronic leg ulcer that he sustained from uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes," she said. "The living conditions that David was exposed to were, from my initial perspective, startling. There were broken windows, the faucets weren't working, the smell was overwhelming when you walked in. "But that all dissipated when you sat down with David and spoke with him. You realized that you were about to provide care for someone in their home. It was putting theory into practice -- which, from a nursing student's perspective, is foreign." Students worked in homecare, community health, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder programming, and at the band's group home for youth with disabilities. They participated in events, including a ceremonial sweat and culture camp and travelled to health centres, schools, and homes. Building bridges is crucial in health care, said Kent Wilkinson, now a practising RN in Saskatoon. "There needs to be a link between acute and community services," he said. "Not just in Saskatchewan, but in all of western culture in health care. There is a disconnect there. I think this kind of clinical experience is a stepping stone for that." Wilkinson's time in northern Saskatchewan made him aware of the lack of basic amenities, like running water. That will help him adapt post-discharge care. "As new graduates, we're coming out of our program with an experience that allows us to see what kind of environments we're discharging our clients home to, what kind of services are available in these communities and what resources aren't available ... We need more community health representatives, more homecare nurses, more people who are dedicated and want to work in the community with the people on their terms and in their homes," he said. Dayna Toye's eyes were opened by the lack of indoor bathrooms. When medical equipment, such as a pill crusher, wasn't available she adapted. "I used a rolling pin," Toye said. "You learn how to 'MacGyver' things ... It was a really positive experience." Kris Keast, community health co-ordinator with Lac La Ronge Indian Band Health Services, echoed the sentiment. "Seeing it from their perspective is just incredible," Keast said. Staff appreciated the validation students gave them. "And we work even more effectively as a team when we have students there because we try to co-ordinate those activities," Keast said. Lois Berry has made three trips to Lac La Ronge with student nurses and will soon embark on a fourth. The acting associate dean of North and North-Western Saskatchewan Campus Rural and Remote Engagement and the students, now practising RNs, described last year's trip to registered nurses attending one of the education sessions at the SRNA's annual meeting. Students learned many lessons in a short period of time. "It's very easy to come to this experience with particular assumptions and stereotypes and to get wrapped up in those," Berry said. On the group's first day of touring the reserve and the band office, Otto Fietz, the director of education, explained the band's history and the continuing impact of residential schools. "But he talked about the importance of not letting that history be the message for aboriginal people," Berry said. "What is important is that we establish relationships so that we can learn from them and we can provide them with some of the services that we have to give, but it had to be done on a basis of understanding and respect." Credit: Pamela Cowan; Leader-Post -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100604/0d9ea925/attachment.html From rosse at ncf.ca Sun Jun 6 16:08:22 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Sun Jun 6 15:10:19 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Now tell us how much you drink: U.K. Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100606150812.039c4f78@ncf.ca> [No mention of drinking in pregnancy] http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/CURBING+BRITAIN+DRINKING+TOLL/3099953/story.html Montreal Gazette Health Now tell us how much you drink By Rebecca Smith, The Daily Telegraph June 1, 2010 All patients in Britain are to face extensive questioning from doctors about their alcohol consumption under new efforts to tackle the country's problem drinking culture. Patients attending their GP, hospital or pharmacist are to be asked up to 10 "alcohol screening" questions. They include how often and how much alcohol the patient consumes and even whether they are left feeling guilty or remorseful after drinking. The advice is being issued to health care professionals as part of the first official medical guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) on how to deal with the country's spiralling drink problems. One in four people - a total of 10 million - is estimated to be putting their health at risk by drinking more alcohol than the recommended limits. But it is feared that not enough is being done to identify those at risk. GPs are being told by the official health advisory body for the first time to question new patients about their drinking when they join a surgery. Pharmacists are also being told to question patients when prescriptions are being reviewed and hospital doctors are to ask patients who come into accident and emergency departments over whether their injuries might be related to drinking. Children as young as 10 who are thought to be drinking alcohol should also be questioned and offered advice or referred to social or mental health care services, according to Nice. Prof Ian Gilmore, the president of the Royal College of Physicians, said that he saw the evidence of the problem on his wards every day. "There are a lot of middle age and old age people who are opening a bottle of wine a night and are not managing to get the cork back in again." But last night patient campaigners questioned whether the new guidelines were really necessary or would have an effect, while others said direct questioning of patients over their drinking habits could amount to an invasion of privacy. Joyce Robins, the co-founder of the campaign group Patient Concern, said: "GPs seem to have to ask so many things that there is no time left for what you went in about. I really don't see the point of them asking about alcohol all the time. If you are drinking too much and are probably ashamed of the fact you are not going to tell your doctor about it." Alex Deane, the director of Big Brother Watch, said: "This is typical nanny-statism. We are entitled to have a drink when we want one. "Doctors are there to heal us, and can keep their opinions about lifestyles to themselves unless asked." The Nice guidance released today on preventing harmful drinking also recommends: -A minimum national price per unit of alcohol. -A possible ban on all alcohol advertising in order to protect children. -Reducing how much alcohol travellers are allowed to bring into the country from abroad. -Cutting licensing hours at pubs, clubs and off-licences. The guidance urges the Government, public bodies, the police, local authorities and the health service to act, although it does not have direct legal powers to enforce its recommendations. Prof Eileen Kaner, of the University of Newcastle, who worked on the guidance, said drinking was second only to smoking in terms of its impact on health and was the highest cause of premature death among young people. She said people who are drinking too much are seen twice as often by health care professionals, but that opportunities to pick up their habit are too often being missed. "It should become a common part of medical practice," she said. "But we are not suggesting that they need to be asked at every contact with the health service." Prof Mike Kelly, the public health director at Nice, said: "Alcohol misuse is a major public health concern which kills thousands of people every year and causes a multitude of physical, behavioural and mental health problems. It is clear that policy change is the best way to go about transforming the country's unhealthy relationship with alcohol." Nice said the evidence in favour of minimum pricing was substantial, but did not recommend a level. Previously it has been suggested that 50 pence ($0.70 Cdn) per unit would have an effect on those who drink the most without hitting the moderate drinker. Prof Gilmore said that at this level pubs and restaurants would not be affected. Gavin Partington, of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said: "Sadly, this guidance proposes measures that will not address the root causes of alcohol misuse and will merely punish the majority of British consumers who drink responsibly. "We need to educate people better and earlier about the risks associated with excessive drinking and we need proper enforcement of laws to address misuse and related anti-social behaviour." The Department of Health recommends that women drink no more than two to three units a day and men no more than three to four. One unit is roughly equivalent to half a pint of standard strength beer or cider, a pub measure of sprits or a small 125ml glass of wine. Around one in four people is thought to regularly drink more than this. It is estimated that every year 15,000 people die and almost 900,000 others are taken to hospital with alcohol-related problems at a cost to the NHS of pounds 2?billion. Excessive drinking is also blamed for 500,000 crimes, 1.2-million violent incidents and 17-million lost working days. Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, said: "The Government is committed to taking tough action to tackle problem drinking, including the price of problem drinks, stopping supermarkets from selling alcohol below cost price and introducing a tougher licensing regime." Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/CURBING+BRITAIN+DRINKING+TOLL/3099953/story.html#ixzz0q6LVZTwx -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100606/3ab98531/attachment.html From rosse at ncf.ca Mon Jun 7 11:33:20 2010 From: rosse at ncf.ca (Elspeth Ross) Date: Mon Jun 7 10:34:20 2010 Subject: [Fasd_canadian_link] Take Another Look: a Guide on FASD for School Psychologists & Counselors Message-ID: <6.2.5.6.2.20100527094406.03edfda0@ncf.ca> From the FASLink...... >A booklet has been developed for use in NYS. It is >available on-line through this website: >http://www.ccf.state.ny.us/Resources.htm#fasd >Scroll down to: FASD Interagency Work Group and click on: Guide on Fetal >Alcohol Spectrum Disorders for School Psychologists and Counselors From New York State Council on Children and Families Rensselaer, NY 12144 www.ccf.state.ny.us June 2009 Take Another Look: A Guide on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders for School Psychologists and Counselors 36 pages A Final Word page 36 FASD is a condition that can have profound impact on a child?s success in school, yet it is difficult to recognize, particularly when it co-occurs with mental health disorders. Even children with average intelligence scores seem to function at a lower level than would be expected, and inconsistent performance is common. The education system can do tremendous good by identifying these children and giving them the tools to succeed. Remember: ? Children with an FASD can learn, but the process will be different. ? Use a skills-based approach. ? Use your imagination and creativity. ? If a strategy isn?t working, try something different. Don?t try harder, try smarter. ? Engage and empower the parents. ? Educate your school community about FASD. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/fasd_canadian_link/attachments/20100607/d60073fc/attachment.html