fasd maine
March 28, 2023 12-1PM ET
Dr. Jacqueline Pei
Professor in the School and Clinical Child Psychology Program and Assistant Clinical Professor Department of Pediatrics University of Alberta
Dr. Katherine Flannigan
Research Associate Canada FASD Research Network and registered psychologist in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia
The ultimate goal of this webinar is to highlight opportunities for supporting health and wellbeing for individuals with FASD and their families across the lifespan, with a special focus on the challenges facing older youth and young adults.
FASD Maine and CANFASD
75% of children with an FASD have an attention problem and may be diagnosed with ADHD without considering other diagnoses. Attention deficits in children with an FASD without ADHD may derive from deficiencies in executive functioning skills, short-term memory, the ability to shift attention, slower processing speed. Medications for ADHD may worsen symptoms in children with FASD.
11 yo child with parent concerns about attention, hyperactivity, and sleep
Understanding FASD for Educators
This 2017 Duke University symposium was designed to help educators - teachers, special education teachers, resource specialists, speech and language specialists, school nurses, and psychologists better understand the effects of prenatal alcohol on brain development, behavior, and learning. Strategies to help address the behavioral issues and learning disabilities in the K-8 classroom were presented by the experts. The symposium was recorded.
For Children With
Fetal Alcohol Exposure,
A Gap In Support
UNDARK January 30, 2021
Research-based interventions for children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder exist, but few get access.
Patients don’t just go undiagnosed, but often are misdiagnosed, said Annika Montag, an epidemiologist and public health scientist at the University of California San Diego. She and her team conducted a study, published in September 2022, for which they screened kids who were receiving services at their local community center for diagnoses such as autism or ADHD, and found that about 7 percent of them likely had an undiagnosed FASD. “The takeaway is children have not been diagnosed with FASD, despite being under medical care,” said Montag. They’re not getting optimal care.”
“If you’re trying to match a strategy to a student, you’ve got to know what you’re looking at,” said Rachel Feiler Teacher/Researcher in California. I’ve seen students I thought might have FASD but I’ve never had an IEP, an individualized education plan, come to me with that diagnosis in it. Ever."
Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
(ND-PAE)
The journal Pediatrics has published a report to help healthcare providers identify, diagnose, refer, and care for children and youth with behavioral problems caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy. This condition is called Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE).
ND-PAE was first included as a recognized condition in the DSM 5 of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in 2013. It is one of the group of conditions that can occur from being exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. This group of conditions is known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). FASDs are physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities that last a lifetime. However, early diagnosis and evidence-based neuro-developmentally aware support greatly improves outcome.
A Conversation
with Dr. Douglas Waite MD
AAP FASD Champion
Chief of Developmental Pediatrics of the BronxCare Health System
In this resourceful and reassuring episode, Dr. Waite addresses the following topics: his clinical experience / what led him to become involved in working with the FASD populations, the importance of focusing on the Adaptive Functioning core of FASD diagnoses, the need for clinical pathways for FASD diagnoses, critical Information for parents to get in place when parenting a child with an FASD
Individuals with FASD
Speak Up
“Being informed helps people understand and accept their condition so they can understand and accept themselves,” said Myles Himmelreich, an FASD activist and researcher who also has an FASD.
"Being able to talk to someone with FASD about these shared experiences can empower people to help and mentor others,” he added.
A person with FASD
shares their experience
with other
FASD Changemakers
Another presentation by
People with FASD share their stories
“This film aims to bring awareness and validation to the silent epidemic that intellectually, developmentally and physically impacts more than two times the number of individuals with Autism and is highly preventable. The goal of this film is to provide evidence of this huge public health issue through interviews with scientists, clinicians, psychologists, educators, social workers, representatives of the judicial system and most importantly, parents and family members of individuals with FASD.” FASD Project.
For more information visit The FASD Project.
Landmark FASD Legislation Introduced in North Dakota
The Legislative Assembly of North Dakota has introduced a bill that could have a direct positive impact on individuals with FASDs and their caregivers, as well as the systems of care they rely on.
Senate bill #2335 seeks to:
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amend multiple definitions related to FASD and education
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include FASDs as a “developmental disability”
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ensure that the juvenile court system assesses children for FASD in order to better address their needs
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create an FASD council
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mandate FASD training for foster parents.
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disabilities in the Western world and yet it remains a highly misunderstood, multi-faceted brain and body disability that affects many people in our communities. This lack of understanding about the complexities of FASD leads to blaming, shaming, stigma, discrimination and racism that causes harm to people with FASD and their families. It also leads to people with FASD getting almost no supports or services. We all need to be more informed, understanding and supportive of children and youth with FASD and their families.
CANFASD