INTERNATIONAL FASD AWARENESS DAY

International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day is an important reminder of the lifelong consequences of maternal drinking in pregnancy, and of the need to redouble Australia’s efforts to prevent foetal alcohol disorders.
 
FASD is a spectrum of conditions caused by exposure to alcohol while in the womb, with serious physical, developmental and/or neurobehavioral impacts often not apparent until the child reaches school age.
 
Studies have found that around half of all people with FASD have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), 62 per cent have vision impairment and 58 per cent have hearing problems.
 
Despite the devastating consequences, one in five women continue to consume alcohol whilst pregnant, and FASD continues to disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
 
During the election Labor committed more than $18 million to helping communities to develop stronger responses to FASD, with a focus on remote and isolated communities where the disorder is having a particularly harsh impact.
 
Labor’s plan included specialist support services for pregnant women with alcohol-related disorders. It also provided tools and training to help health professionals deal with FASD.
 
This International FASD Awareness Day, Labor is urging communities to have honest and frank conversations about the risks of drinking while pregnant, raising awareness of the lifelong impacts of FASD.
 
FRIDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 2016
 
MEDIA CONTACT: JOANNE CLEARY 0428 816 751