Healthy Child Manitoba

Fast Facts on FASD

Did you know:

• Alcohol use during pregnancy is the leading cause of preventable birth defects and developmental delays in Canadian children.

• An estimated 9 in every 1000 children born in Canada have FASD (Health Canada, FASD: A Framework for Action, 2003).

• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term used to refer to a spectrum of diagnosable disabilities caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol. Diagnoses in this spectrum include:
  
  
  • fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS);
  • partial fetal alcohol syndrome (pFAS);
  • alcohol related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) and
  • alcohol related birth defects (ARBD).
  
  
• For more information on the diagnostic categories and criteria see the new Canadian Diagnostic Guidelines.

• Drinking during pregnancy can cause behavioural and physical disabilities, including malformed bones, muscles, vital organs and permanent brain damage.

• Only a fraction of affected children have identifiable facial features. Most children’s impairments are invisible, but they are profoundly challenged, especially in areas of social skills and common sense (Dr. Albert Chudley, Damaged Angels, 2004).

• Children born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder face challenges in the way they live, learn and play for the rest of their lives.

• Children who grow up with FASD are at high risk of serious secondary problems, such as dropping out of school or getting expelled; getting into trouble with the law; abuse of alcohol and other drugs; inappropriate or risky sexual behavior; inability to maintain employment; and mental health issues such as clinical depression. (The Challenge of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Overcoming Secondary Disabilities, Ann Streissguth and Jonathan Kanter, 1997, University of Washington Press.)

• Direct costs associated with FASD over a lifetime have been estimated at about $1.5 million per person with FASD (Health Canada, FASD: A Framework for Action, 2003).   
  
• The only known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy is NONE AT ALL. No safe type. No safe amount. No safe time.

For more information, visit:

Healthy Child Manitoba's FASD Strategy

Manitoba Liquor Control Commission "With Child / Without Alcohol" Campaign