Raising awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Saturday was the International Day of Awareness for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and organizations throughout the northeast took the day to share information and resources with families.

In Timmins, the Cochrane Temiskaming Children’s Treatment Centre (CTCTC) gathered local FASD service providers to tell families about the importance of abstaining from alcohol while pregnant, the impacts on children and families as well as more about the support options available.

September is also FASD awareness month.

CTCTC staff told CTV News that FASD is even more prevalent than autism in Canada.

“Oftentimes, it’s a subject that’s not very talked about or discussed, so we’re just here to try to start the conversation and raise awareness on the subject. FASD is actually 2.5 times more common than ASD (autism spectrum disorder), so it’s kind of, when you think about it, more significant,” said McKenzie Walker, a FASD worker with CTCTC.

“FASD affects four per cent of our Canadian population, so it’s worth talking about and starting the conversation.”

“Through education comes prevention, comes awareness,” added Emilie Giroux, another CTCTC staff member.

“That’s kind of what we do, day in and day out. That’s why events like this are important, too, is to kind of spread the word, spread the proper information about what is FASD.”

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Staff said that 1,200 people in the Timmins area have FASD though there may be even more undiagnosed cases.

For more information on CTCTC and their upcoming events, visit their social media page.