Celebrating Inclusion
"When everyone is included, everyone wins" -Jesse Jackson
FASD Awareness Day Monday, September 9, 2019
FASD
- FASD stands for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - a complex range of brain injuries that affect different people in different ways.
- FASD is a preventable disability.
- FASD is caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol.
- It is a life-long condition with no cure
- An individual with FASD often requires extensive supports and services "across the life-span"
- There is an estimated 36,000 Albertans living with FASD.
(South Alberta FASD Network)
FASD Truths & Myths
Myth #1: FASD is readily apparent from a person’s looks.
The Truth: Most people with FASD show no physical facial features of the disability, as there is only a short period of time during the pregnancy when alcohol affects facial features. That is why FASD may be viewed as an “invisible disability.”
Myth #2: It’s okay to drink in moderation during pregnancy.
The Truth: There is no safe time or safe amount of alcohol to drink when pregnant or when planning to become pregnant.
Myth #3: Behaving appropriately is a choice. People with FASD just need to try harder.
The Truth: The brain damage associated with FASD makes it difficult if not impossible for individuals to control their behaviour. It is not a choice.
Myth #4: FASD affects children and adolescents. It’s something they eventually outgrow.
The Truth: FASD is a permanent, life-long disability that often creates greater challenges in adulthood when its behavioural consequences become less acceptable.
Myth #5: A person with FASD has poor social judgment because of poor parenting.
The Truth: A person with FASD is not able to interpret social cues and does not know what to do in many social situations.