Raising awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Timmins
On International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day in Timmins, officials with the Children's Treatment Centre said most people in the community know quite a bit about autism, but most don't know a lot about FASD.
They said it is two and half times more common than autism and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are lifetime disabilities that happen when alcohol is introduced to the womb before birth.
This is some of the information they shared with people who stopped to talk with them while they were taking their morning walks around the Gillies Lake Trail.
“We’re OK if someone is uncomfortable with the subject matter. That’s OK because that’s an opportunity for us to have an open conversation with someone and if they’re not ready to have that conversation that’s OK with us," said Liane Guenette, a caseworker with the Children's Treatment Centre.
Open to learning
Timmins resident Cliff Lebrun had never heard about FASD, but was open to learning about it.
“I took some literature and I’m going to read it and I’ll be aware so I won’t judge people," he said.
One of Guenette's co-workers appreciated that people want more information and she said she's also working with community partners.
"We are helping ... to have the people within the schools understand what it means to have FASD and how they can make the proper environmental accommodations to support these children," said Kelsey Charbonneau-Laforest.
Organizers of the outdoor information session said four per cent of Canadians have fetal alcohol syndrome.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.