FASD Awareness Day 2020

Published: Tuesday, 08 September 2020 13:28

September the 9th is FASD Awareness Day!

FASDAwarenessDay

What is FASD?

FASD stands for ‘Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders’ and it is a term which covers a range of physical and mental effects on individuals whose mother used alcohol during the pregnancy.

Alcohol is an extremely potent ‘teratogen’ which means that it is a drug which can cause physical abnormalities and learning and behavioural challenges in a developing foetus.

There is no safe level of alcohol use during pregnancy. Any amount of alcohol at any point during a pregnancy has the potential to lead to FASD.

FASD covers a spectrum of disorders. FASD disorders are lifelong disabilities. Individuals suffering from FASD conditions can experience their own unique challenges and difficulties in their daily lives and need help with a variety of things such as their learning, attention, ability to regulate emotions, social skills, physical and mental health.

How prevalent is FASD?

FASD is the most common non genetic cause of learning disabilities in the United Kingdom and it is estimated that 1% to 5% of the population is affected by FASD, meaning that up to 35,000 babies might be born every year suffering from FASD related conditions. Unfortunately the condition sometimes goes undiagnosed or might be misdiagnosed as Autism or ADHD instead of the symptoms being recognised as presentations of FASD.

How does FASD affect children?

FASD can lead to issues which potentially have lifelong impacts upon those who suffer from these disorders.

Due to the complexity of the developmental issues which individuals with FASD face an individual with a FASD condition might display a variety of the following characteristics:

Where can I learn more about FASD?

 FASD Hub Scotland: https://www.adoptionuk.org/Pages/Site/scotland/Category/fasd-hub-scotland

The FASD Network: http://www.fasdnetwork.org/resources.html

FASD Scotland: http://www.fasdscotland.com/

The National Organisation for FASD: http://www.nofas-uk.org

Red Shoes Rock: https://redshoesrock.com/ 

& on Social media you can follow @FasdhubScotland @NOFASUK @FASD_Trust @FASDScotland on Twitter or search for the Hashtags #FASDMonth #FASD #FASDay #FASDworkingTogether #IcanFASD #NoAlcoholNoRisk #RedshoesRock #to see what is currently trending.