Budget funds flow for FAS/FAE
Terry Halifax
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Feb 19/01) - This year's budget brings some welcome news to those working to educate and rehabilitate FAS/FAE in the NWT.
The government has committed $2 million a year to an Early Childhood Development Action Plan, that promises a "significant focus" on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE).
| FAS Facts Physical characteristics |
One new initiative focuses on early childhood screening of all "developmental delays" said Lona Hegeman, consultant of reproductive health with the Department of Health and Social Services. The department has selected eight pilot sites for a program Hegeman said they hope will become universal in the NWT, with an emphasis on diagnosis at an early age.
"It's a strong protective factor that they are diagnosed early," Hegeman said.
She said the government has made great strides in prioritizing FAS/E and the new screening program will ensure a proper diagnosis of so-called "special needs" children.
"The teacher doesn't diagnose breast cancer. She also does not diagnose FAS/FAE," she said. "It's a medical diagnosis and it's actually a very complex one."
She said the government has been working with the Native Women's Society and the Status of Women Council to raise awareness and examine the reasons why women drink during pregnancy.
"There are reasons why women self-medicate with alcohol during pregnancy," Hegeman said.
There is no particular profile to the mother who drinks, she said, and young mothers are not the primary focus, but there is a need to educate all groups.
"It's not the teenager per se, but we're also very concerned about the woman who's had several children and her tolerance to alcohol is much higher -- she is the person who has the FAS baby," she said, adding that message is often blurred in education.
"It's not a no sex thing. It's not a 'don't get pregnant' message. It's a 'have a safe pregnancy,' message."
Another new initiative is the trauma mobile treatment centres that travel to the communities and to each home. In developing this new strategy, Hegeman said they polled licensed establishments to see if they offered non-alcoholic drinks to pregnant patrons, something that has become popular in southern premises.
"We found out they were totally unaware of this practice that is prevalent in the south," she said. "They felt it if a pregnant woman came in and drank, it was not their responsibility."
She doesn't view any input to the issue as negative and welcomed the honesty.
"At least they talked to us and told us what they thought," she said. "I could have finger-pointed, but I look at us and say, 'We haven't done a very good job of educating them.'"
Within the next month, the department will start a mailing campaign to all the licensed outlets that offers signs and training for bar staff. She said the first campaign was started in the Beaufort-Delta with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.
