.  (Diane Malbin)

FASD can be likened to having a child with Alzheimers.  What they learn today, they may not even remember tomorrow.  

How can I tell if a child has FASD?  You can't know to look at them.  It is estimated only 6% of children with FASD have any significant facial features.  It is also estimated that over 4% of all children have FASD while Autism is only around 1.4%, YET FASD caregivers and children have relatively no programs to assist them.  People with FASD can be excellent at articulation making it hard to believe anything is wrong. 

The term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) means a range of physical, emotional and developmental delays that may affect a person when they were exposed to alcohol during pregnancy.

Common problems in children with FASD:

•  Sleep disturbances
• Tantrums well into the teens and sometimes beyond.
•  Emotional maturity well below their age level
• Sensory issues
• Inability to understand the concept of ownership (therefore they will take others belongings
• Food issues (they may need to be reminded to take bites of food, chew, or seem incredibly fussy about their food)
• They can seem like a tornado taking everything in a room apart and making it impossible for one person to manage their surroundings and belongings.
• Lying, stealing and jail are not uncommon. 

The costs by society to support them could be greatly reduced by supporting the families who support them. 

What these families and children need:

• Access to specialists.
• A daily structure that does not change (this includes not going to visit other homes on holidays
• Respite (parents need in home help so they can spend more quality time with their children, not strangers to take their children out.)
• Trained caregivers who assist them from youth to adulthood 
• Music, play and other therapies are shown to help with brain development
• Specialized schooling with well organized and predictable days 
• A lot of help!

Please sign in support of our request for funding to be adressed by the government. 

#PrenatalAlcoholExposure @canfasd #fasd 

Foundations course:  https://t.co/JELXjw3KvQ