SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Out of all the tragedies associated with alcoholism, perhaps Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is the most heartbreaking, and now a medical team is being assembled in the NWT to diagnose this disorder in the young and hopefully provide some guidance to caretakers on how to support these children.

On the left is the healthy brain of a six-week-old baby. The brain on the right is of a six-week-old baby with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. - NNSL file photo

"Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual who was exposed to alcohol during the prenatal period," said Barbara Beaton, coordinator for the diagnostic team.

"These effects may include physical, mental, behavioural, and learning disabilities with life-long implications," said Beaton, adding the effect stems from damage to the brain by alcohol.

Beaton said the needs of each child with FASD may vary, so the team will also help identify those needs and work with the parents or caretakers to adapt the child's living environment to those needs.

The team will be made up of a pediatrician, a neuro-psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language pathologist, and a social worker.

As well, there will be an FASD coordinator to serve as a liaison between the team and child's family, and community.

"It's sort of preparing everybody, the community in addition to the child, assisting the family and the community on how to best adapt the environment to make the child as independent as possible," said Beaton.

"Since it's such a complicated disorder, some children may be able to function more independently than others."

Beaton said the target date to have the team assembled is March 2010 – the end of the fiscal year. The project has a budget of $100,000, a large chunk of which will be going toward training the team.

An FASD diagnostic team from southern Canada will be brought North to train the team, which will be comprised largely of medical professionals already working in Yellowknife.

Beaton said the team will be based out of Stanton Territorial Hospital, but will provide counselling and diagnoses to children with FASD around the territory, at the recommendation of physicians or community health nurses. Lydia Bardak, a city councillor who also works with the John Howard Society, said the team is a step in the right direction.

"We want to get diagnosis as early as possible, because then if you have rehab and services in place then you'll have a better outcome," said Bardak.

Bardak noted that a very important next step is to keep upping the ante on rehabilitation services for those with FASD.

As well, Bardak noted that FASD is not just a problem with children.

"My contact is with adults who have brain damage, certainly starting with fetal alcohol exposure, but then other things that happen through their lives," said Bardak.

"We have to recognize that there are people past their childhood years who also require lifelong disability supports connected to the brain injury that they have."