Fort Simpson (Feb 20/04) - A little more than 14 years ago, Janelle McMillan decided to let off a little steam and went on a three-day drinking binge with a group of her high school friends.

Two months later, she discovered she was nearly 12 weeks pregnant with her son Jordan. Little did she know that bender would change the course of both of their lives forever.

Jane Arychuk led a discussion on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder last Friday in Fort Simpson. More than 220 people attended the three day conference. - Andrew Raven/NNSL photo

"Every system in Jordan's body was touched by that one binge," she told about 150 people gathered at Bompas Elementary School in Fort Simspon on Friday for a conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

"From his heart, to his brain, to his liver to his skeletal structure. Just one drink can make a difference," said Janelle with a smiling Jordan at her side. "Remember that."

Janelle and Jordan, who hail from B.C., were two of nearly a dozen nationally and internationally recognized speakers at the three day conference designed to raise awareness about FASD (an umbrella term that includes the clinical diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome).

The condition is caused by pre-natal exposure to alcohol and its symptoms can range from relatively minor behavioral problems to facial deformities and severe learning disorders.

The goal of the conference was to bring together educators, doctors, social workers, justice officials and other government employees to discuss ways of dealing with children and adults who have FASD, said organizer Jane Arychuk, who is also a school principal from Fort Providence.

"FASD impacts so many lives," she said.

"It's absolutely crucial that people understand the nature of the problem."

The gathering, which featured over 220 participants, was the first of it's kind in the NWT, she said.

She hopes those who attended the three days of lectures and workshops will pass on what they learned when they return to their communities.

"This is just a starting point," she said.

Some speakers at the conference said society needs to completely re-evaluate the way it deals with addictions like alcoholism before it can begin to address the issue of FASD.

"This is a much more complicated problem than one mother drinking," said Janet Christie, a lawyer and mother of a child with FASD.

"There is a system set up to profit from addictions and alcohol sales. The whole system needs to change."

Other speakers like Janelle said the best way to combat FASD is to raise awareness about the disorder.

"When I was a teenager, I didn't know anything about (the condition)," she said. "I had no idea that drinking could affect your pregnancy. If mothers are aware of the consequences, then fewer of them will drink."

Much of the talk at the conference focused on the current state of education for children with FASD.

Many schools don't have the resources or the expertise to deal with children who suffer from FASD, said Arychuk.

Kids like Jordan are also frequently targeted by bullies, said Janelle.

"When Jordan's in school, he's often picked on because he needs extra help doing things," she said with tears dripping down her cheek.

One day, Jordan dreams of being in a school that caters to children with FASD so he can get the help he needs without being teased.

"That would be my number one wish," he said.

Jordan, who exudes a childlike innocence at an age when most boys are brooding and reclusive, also looks forward to a day when society stops looking down on people with FASD.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," he simply said.