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INUVIK
As part of National Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness (FASD) Day on Sept. 9, the FASD diagnostic team is holding a community baby shower at Ingamo Hall.

Heather Wheeting takes part in a planning meeting Aug. 30 at Ingamo Hall for the community baby shower with two infant dolls, one representing an average infant, the other showing some physical characteristics of an infant with FASD. - Danielle Sachs/NNSL photo

The event aims to focus on awareness and community support.

Lise Luppen is a dietitian at the Inuvik Regional Hospital and says there is still a lot of misinformation surrounding FASD.

"There are people who think it's OK to drink while pregnant as long as it's in the first trimester," she said.

"Or they think one glass of wine is OK but more than that isn't, it's hard sometimes to get the right information out there."

The community event is being held at Ingamo Hall, from 3 to 5 p.m. On the same day at 9 a.m., the church bells will toll.

Luppen also runs a pre-natal health program at Ingamo Hall.

"There's a lot of stigma around the topic," she said.

"We made a decision to focus on support and raising awareness, but at the same time we don't intend to ignore the impacts of FASD."

Luppen said that's the reasoning behind this years' motto: "Support our ladies, protect our babies."

"It's important to identify the kids suffering from FASD," said Amie Hay, a speech language pathologist. She said exact numbers are hard to come by. "There aren't any Canadian numbers, but the Canadian Medical Association Journal said a 2005 study in the (United States) showed as many as one to three per 100 live births were affected in some way."

Participant Heather Wheeting said prevention of FASD is only one aspect. There also needs to be support.

"It is a disability," she said.

"Without a diagnosis they are likely to develop secondary disabilities. If a child is recognized as having FASD you can change your approach and provide that support. There needs to be support for kids and non-judgemental support for parents as well."

On hand at the Aug. 30 meeting planning the event were two infant dolls, one representing an average infant, the other showing some physical characteristics of an infant with FASD.

"It's not just the physical features," said Hay. "It's a whole spectrum, it can affect different domains of cognition depending on when alcohol was consumed during pregnancy."

Diagnosis of FASD relies mainly on the self-disclosure of the mother, said Hay.

"Without confirmed pre-natal alcohol consumption you can't go forward," she said.

That's where the stigma becomes a problem, according to Luppen.

"You don't want to be viewed as a bad parent," she said.

"But stuff happens, sometimes you don't know you're pregnant when you have that drink and there can be a lot of guilt."

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