Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder FASD - Expert Educator Reveals Must Know Statistics and Information
Channel: Drug Education Network
Date: 2019-09-02

The evidence is really clear that there is no safe level of drinking in pregnancy. FASD stands for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. More than 6000 babies are born in Australia every year affected by FASD, and it's entirely preventable. One of the misconceptions about FASD is that babies will always display the characteristic facial features of FASD. 

The facial features of those affected with FASD include:
1. A thin upper lip
2. A smooth groove above the top lip 
3. Small eye openings 
 
For more information, you can read the Drug Education Network's FASD handbook which can be found at: http://www.den.org.au/resources/ The resource is freely available to read online, and hard copies are distributed to health professionals free of charge and at a small cost to members of the public.

The FASD Handbook provides health and alcohol and other drug workers with clear guidelines when working in a prevention framework. The guidelines in this resource emphasise Women Centred Practice – which avoids blaming, stigmatisation and judgement of women who have complex needs and may be experiencing complex trauma.

Training sessions are available for health professionals to learn how to apply the suggested primary, secondary and tertiary prevention approaches in practice.

For more information, or to request a training session you can send the team at DEN an email at admin@den.org.au