ole Ss a community problem’ An expert explains why’ northerners. néed to take FASD so seriously . . By JENNIFER LANG © THIRTY” “YEARS.. ago, ».a: “Terrace * .. pediatrician ~ ‘thought ‘he ¢puld ‘help - _ Stamp. out':a ‘devastating’ birth. defect’ oot forever. His solution Was. simple — just. . + tel women. ‘to ‘Stop: drinking: alcohol ~ duting: their pre fran ey co vs “Dt. Kojo (Kwadi ) Asante had aki “ready noticed... can then get. the ‘proper type of suppor _ disturbing. that’ ssocriticak. cs 6° how held three training sessions in Ter- ° summer, “child éxhibis ‘partial effects. developmen: “child. ; _develop-" : race,- including one’ that. took place this, . He says diagnosis, | is “not always: straightforward, particularly * when - ay “Asante: says’ an ‘early diagnosis’ ig” ‘important because: it. means’ ‘a child... Barly. recognition means. the ‘child’. starts ‘to pel some Felp, sy. from dl the - along with continuing to. let: ‘people’ _ know! ‘about the Hisks. of aleghol during pregnancy, - : 7 Sasa community probiem "he pregnant: woman:-to- ‘help, and : Support ‘them, it goes a: long way, in preventing . * future! problems.” a . “Nationally. two ‘children out of eve ery 1,000. born each year have FAS, but” “it 8. thought to be much: higher i innorth. “erm B.C.- ‘possibly tment: ‘centre: “or in some of his. “ special pre- “schoo!” : young patients help... ‘They. get. " Wheit a “group more: ime: and: | “of researchers.’ more’. -assistance, _ at-the Univer- © -both © pre-school, sity of. Wash- -and i in school.” ‘ington = put ‘Tragically, : their fingers, one children. With “the problem, " “-FASD who grow _.They, were. the first-to. identity and up: without ..cver © desicribe Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, a set’ being’. “diagtiosed of developmental ‘and. Physical. prob: «ean “ end ‘up’ in| “ lems .in children relatédio - the: con-..., tragic’ > ¢ircum= ~ sumption: of-alcoliol during pregnancy. ~slanices.=— - running. “Between - 1970“and ° 1990. Asante~ into. trouble -iith.. ‘worked as a’ “pediatrician! based iri Ter-“. the.law, or. falling “race, regularly: ‘performing: travelling into drug use, * olinies. sin: Kitimat, the: Hazettons’ and oA . oo . - Smithets as.well as in the Yukon, °°" ‘a = -Asanté redlized:the problems he: was “plain «+ seeing in children inthe north. were en«.*to “judges © Sands » tirely, preventable. Or 89 he belies ed - lawyers, he points we then. pe Le OU, mos ; ~ Simply point out ihe risks and’ P a AR any’ ‘level;. prevention in terms ; - nant women-would avoid drinking: al ~‘¢ohol, te’ ‘thought: ee “We, how-know. that ‘this is notre: Asante told the Terrace ‘Stan- tal. : problems. Dr. Kojo Asante’ behaviour. ome 8 “Another, long-term ‘cost - is a ‘child with, FASD avho grows up-to have chil: “dren. of. her own-with FASD, too. . ~ We ‘realize: that many. of the mothe ers have, Jong. term: ‘problems’. awhich ‘ + need-hel py”: Says Asante, whois now a: _ leading expert. in. FASD, “which affects’ : “essarily doliig anything wrong: vhen.it : Disorder refers-to a range. of birth. \ des’ : cames (0 parenting skills.) 0: + fects: caused. by saleohal “use: > suring ” ‘pregnancy. : ot . Facial. deformities, stunted: growth, ce y and néurological disabilities dre just a. { -fesy of the. permanent disabilities ass vthey: have brain: ‘damage, he'says.-: po: ciated with: FASD,: ” | # °“Tt can inelude, ieariling disabilities, "behaviour. problems” and: “sometimes, _ there. is mental retardation,” che says. : = » eMaking-a-correot -diagnosisiis j straightforward; bu me "have ‘a-role to play .when-it comes: upporting: a -chi ld: avith FASD, Thirty: years: ‘en; “Asanie no - longer : ane : vill be. completely. wiped oul, *” Spécific: ‘puidelines ‘have’ now: Been: ° Some: women, - he’ says, will: still ~ ~ established that Asante hopes! will lead. © ” Friendship. Society’ s" early childhood <° development program ‘is: ‘siearheading. 2 : efforts to build a local: ‘mnultidiscipli nary: * © diagnostic and reférral team." - ro ‘Asante; Who founded. the: ‘Asante: - diagnostic and - assessment. centre - in, Maple Ridge, and: his colleagues. have. -Alice Maitland. ooSIt's all @'trap of ancaffected mottier. “drinking” and producing. another. ef-"- fected child. It: ‘happens’ to- all racial”. groups everywhere’ around the world: ; -_Bpproximately ~The common part is a) “five. int-every ° 2." “atts. a huge problem: and. ‘mother drinking while’. 7,000- children - 4 regnant : - iS. just going to ‘get worse * P - : “born, in' B.C; 1 ow. Early” diagnosis S >. Fetal “Ag, | wedon't do something. me * also. ‘tells caregivers. hol Spectrum that ‘they’ re..nat. Tlec-\. » Children swith: FASD ‘thay. act ‘out: + but because, they may not look differ" ; “ent from other children, people. forget, presumes FAS. and. its: related, ‘fests: o “ed. with: conflicting ‘messages ~ When. it: ; : comes to alcohol-and pregnancy meas drink while. they’ re. > pregnant. W 8: an. ., oan “to more uniform diagnoses: across Can- “ unavoidable fact, . ° “ada, oe .. *You can: never stop ‘everybody. “Here: : ine “Terrace: - ‘the. Kermode “from. drinking,” ‘Asante says; pointing to the: complexities: behind alcohol de- pendency, “Some. people: a are always w . He advocates:more goverment sup a ‘port, for ‘pregnant, worhen with alcohol. ‘or substance abuse: problems, namely - ° counselidg” anid: treatment . progiams 7 as hi ghas one in 30- live births. ‘That's an: alarm: : ing statistic la. pco- Community ~Col- lege’ official. Alice FASD. do something about agnostic . tive step. : erly. ‘diagnosed | the “ "better, she says, That: Way ‘they: can pet : ~ help and support they need," " if early. diagnosis, improves the, out- . She notes thal current government * ‘funding for FASD tends to be for things ~ ~. like conferences, including an upcom- . ing: event in the, Hazeltons planned, for- a May 14-16: Maitland ‘says the. federal and: pio: ” vincial governments, must also. provide * funding for! ‘programs: that are ongoing, anid ‘that’s’ going 'to take lobbying. woman io avoid alcohol — -see much cause for hope. cn Coren ~ While FASD. has -not dlaappcared, ; the .nidré: severe form of the defect is: less prevalent now'~a feflection of the © “change. in: altitudes towards: s: drinking. ; "and: pregnancy. - , : 7. Asanté says, physicians, ayetiolo- : gists, ‘speech ard ‘language. patholo-.: “gists, and coecupational therapists. each ° : To": Asanite, * il women: Even. today,. women’ ‘are bombard: _Asante’s advice? - regnant,.” harm: ‘the. fetus,” without adding alcahol.” r Soonsterreoasranaira p com. “Nea alte fo pemember™ . Bale apout our or: ine advertialng rstaa * call can. 7a83 “2d hours 7 aye 2 week» 198 Jaye a year! | “IF we can spend: money. on: each ‘ple like Northwest . Maitland, who says - many. students: she - sees are affected | by . "Is: bige and - it's going-.to. be] worse. if we" ‘don’t. | it,” Maitland says.” ~ She sees the di-..' tedm> Ine Terrace. as a Ose | er ae and’ are. eligible to ‘apply 4 for bursaries. and: awards that t require involvement Pe “The rooner chil: : with arcommunity group. JENNFERLANG ae The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 222, 2004 - B3: 1 It’s fun, too | “CARLA SEATON, (from tt Nina Balton, Rebecca Watts and Phyllis Weils 2. “of the House of Friends Lunch Club at Thornhill Jr: Secondary donated $364.. weék..The donation represents the proceeds from’ weeks of muffin and:hat ° _ organizer. Beth. Holmberg, the: school’s: First Nations ‘support: worker (pictured ° | can use their volunteer experience. towards hours for'their Planning .10- class, - dren canbe: prop-, : “It's a, huge’ problem. ‘We. ‘have a. Jarge percentage of affected people. i in Le the north.) . no “Asante, meanwhile; may no longer ae 1 believe. he'll convince every, _pregnant |; + ‘but he. ‘does Jan monstrates: “that my. the ‘iessage: is petting across ‘to many. 2 “} think. “these is: a change "Assiie oo ; says: “T think. probably. we are winning: “but slowly,” : . “it! s better: nlot-to. drink when: ‘one is cope . ‘he ‘says.,"The question is, f° ~ how’ much alcoho! ‘would one give a six “month old? One, beer a ‘day?:One. gina apes day? Every other. day? The ‘baby: gels, | eee . the'same as the-mother.is drinking." °-}.7-~. ~ “Any amount is. nol good ‘and. may: : ha he. adds.““There are’ |. enough problems: \duine pregnancy] a. [7 Allyson wail be ~ : on Christmas moming:~ J s 5 . Cook's Jewellers Sees Wc ivani do he your fowler” BE Kilinat - Cily Cente Mall - 682-3313 Mm letrace - Skeena Mall - 635-5111 Prince Rupert - 527-0 * - 624-5231 Complimentary 1-888-738-2211 Graduates of the CHAMP Program | . for child amputees - are carrying on | “| the tradition of ||. .”. amputees helping | . _ amputees’ and | .) protecting -: Canadas’ _military history. . To aoen a Hating of our Canadian Miliary 'o* Herttaga documentaries, visit dur Web site at weed. warampe.ce, Documentaries can be boryowed tree-of-ohaige or purchased “) ad cout-racavery prices, ” Ty cedar a panphtat thet IIete our : menarte . pie Ine. wer Amps sors andy! artes, conte J.) 288 ACCESS: Tel.: 1-600-280-3030 L Fax: 1-800-219-0988 ° We: LIne pty nee pick ebsites ea ae S Hi OP P E RS — Don't miss these dyers. in today’s hewspape Some: playful workshops _ A PROFESSIONAL theate ‘al The Playwrights, Centre, | consultant... coming. to vis holding’: Script: reading ~ Terrace’ fet ‘month: to- help ~ Workshops on, Lil’s Closet. “develop. a, ‘ocally- written” “with, the: Terrace Little: The: 7 “play.~ 4 ~~ atre Jan. 7-9. an Lil's 3 Closet j is local plays Gebhard: who} is. coming “right. Denine Milner’ s first :* Play, : “Fran Gebhard, a theatre ‘instructor: at ‘the University ‘of Victoria and ‘a t dramalurg ~ portunity. For. more’: infotniaitons- here: with: thé ‘assistance’ “Of. » sthe' Terrace and-Disifict'Arts © Council, Will returAslater‘on ‘in 2005 to help develop Mil- ner’ s 8 script. oo ". dinator, Annette. Martindale, oo 18 @ BC News paper Cro up : Place your classified adin THREE REGIONS. a Combinad Cireulation $252" | Marnun Powe seston wore fs 700 BC Interior $99. Th words. $190 en Edditeonal Lower Mainland —& Newspapers ‘99, BRIO RT Bi words, 1S) ee edctional Combine Gievlatian ~ TERRACE STANDARD ~ "250. 638-7283 OR] FAX 250- 638-8432 Vancouver Island $QQ_ 1 mords $199 an addihanal 31 Newspapers — os 294,616 Cambined Gireulaton = 18 Newspapers 266,355 Combined Circulalion ” For mora information, . - " pleasa contact. - All Best Buy ads go on the internet! www, beclassified. com “Your r Favourite Residence Ist & 2nd Your Favourite Business ist & 2nd mas Ligh Contest. Once you have to ubmit your choice to the Terrace Stan ursday, December ‘30th, 2004. Winners names will be published early J u “YOUR CHOICE FOR BUSINESS . NAME: ADDRESS: " YOUR CHOICE FOR RESIDENCE Drop: of cities ath Teiroce Siandod eee 210 lt Sheet, Terracé, B.C. vaG 5R2‘or Fox to 638 32 " to Terrace Anti-Poverty’ Group Society's Children's Christmas Campaign ‘last- J. °° - ic chacolate sales-on. Tuesday: and ‘Thursday: mornings,. and two raffles. The fh . - _- club supported:the campaign because of its emphasis.on children, says club’ J 3. "second: from right, beside: Terrace Anti Roverty’s Rosanne Pearce.). Students'-Jo00 New. ‘and, existing Tur members: are encouraged to's. : participate. in- the upcoming... “workshops, Which provide” an can excellent educational ope ne! contact TET’S: season coor wat info@mytit caor call 635--- 2 . e ;