Why is it important to address Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)?
While there are no national statistics on the rates of FASD in Canada, international estimates are that 9 in every 1000 babies are born with FASD. This means that more than 3,000 babies are born in Canada each year with FASD, and approximately 300, 000 people are currently living with this lifelong disability. However, this rate may be even higher because FASD is hard to diagnose, and a diagnosis may not be made early in a child’s life, or may be missed entirely. Recent research funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and conducted by the Hospital for Sick Children shows that in one Ontario county 3.7% of women drank alcohol in the last six months of their pregnancy. However, the actual rate may be higher because women may drink before knowing they are pregnant. Other studies have shown that drinking even small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy can have a negative impact on the developing brain of an unborn baby. According to the Canadian Community Health Survey (2003),
