Tag Archives: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)

Feb 5 2020

NACCHO Aboriginal Health and #FASD #BacktoSchool : Download or View @NOFASDAustralia Teachers play a critical role in facilitating positive learning and life outcomes for students with FASD.

” NACCHO in 2018 partnered with the Menzies School of Health Research and the Telethon Kids Institute (TKI) to develop and implement health promotion resources and interventions to prevent and reduce the impacts of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and young children.”

 Although high rates of alcohol consumption have been reported across all Australian populations, research shows that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are more likely to consume alcohol at harmful levels during pregnancy, thereby greatly increasing the risk of stillbirths, infant mortality and infants born with an intellectual disability.”

FASD is an umbrella term used to describe the range of effects that can occur in individuals whose mother consumed alcohol during pregnancy.

These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, developmental, and or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications.”

From the FASD Strategy 2018 -2028 NACCHO Post 

Teachers play a critical role in facilitating positive learning and life outcomes for students with FASD.

These children do not respond to traditional instructions or classroom management techniques, and while many children with FASD have average or high intelligence, they also have complex needs which impact many aspects of the school environment. Behaviours and challenges of a child with FASD vary, and can include:

  • learning difficulties
  • impulsiveness
  • difficulty connecting actions to consequences (don’t learn from mistakes)
  • difficulty making and keeping friends
  • attention / hyperactivity
  • memory challenges (short and long term)
  • developmental delays

NOFASD Australia’s website provides a range of resources for teachers and educators.

We have also produced a number of webinars including a 45 minute webinar for teachers which can be viewed here.

Some valuable resources include:

The Marulu FASD Strategy publication Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and complex trauma: A resource for educators is valuable for educators and other professionals.

This book contains detailed information about FASD and how it interacts with trauma, and provides many practical strategies for supporting young people with FASD in the classroom.

South Australia’s Department of Education has a comprehensive webpage on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder which can be accessed here. This page covers the education implications of FASD, managing FASD in education and care, supporting children and families with FASD and related resources. Downloadable resources include:

  • An interoception support planwhich provides a detailed explanation and opportunity for the development of individualised strategies to assist children to understand their bodies and thus self-regulate.
  • A sensory overview support planwhich can provide a detailed understanding of individual sensory difficulties and assist in developing strategies to minimise sensory overload in the education setting.
  • A regulation scale which assists children and adolescents to identify what is impacting their mood, what signals their body is giving them, and ways to respond and manage their change in mood.

WRAP Schools has produced short videos based on 8 Magic Keys: Developing Successful Interventions for Students with FAS by Deb Evensen and Jan Lutke. These are valuable resources for teachers and may be beneficial for parents and caregivers too. Read an overview of each Magic Key and watch them here.

NOFASD Australia’s resource, an Introduction to Teachers, can be downloaded and completed by parents/carers to provide specific information on strengths, challenges, and effective strategies for their individual child.

We recommend you access NOFASD’s comprehensive resources for teachers and educators. Recommended links include:

Supporting students with FASD – online learning

Trying Differently Rather Than Harder – highly recommended reading

Teaching a student with FASD

Understanding FASD: A comprehensive guide for pre-k to 8 educators

What teachers can do

Finally, this video describes a shift in approach when working with students with FASD:

To read other NOFASD Australia blogs click here.

You may also like to read Edmonton and Area Fetal Alcohol Network’s blog KNOWFASD: Academic Difficulties.

Sep 9 2019

NACCHO Aboriginal Health #FASDay #FASDprevention News : @NOFASDAustralia and @TheRACP call for mandatory warning labels and a national #FASD Prevention Campaign. An alcohol free pregnancy is everyone’s responsibility.

“ At NOFASD, across Australia, and around the world people took a minute today to pause and reflect on the struggles which individuals , families and communities face when they are living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

At 9:09 on the 9th day of the 9th month we came together to raise awareness about the risks of alcohol and the importance of alcohol-free pregnancies.”

See NO FASD Press Release Part 2 Below

Read over 30 Aboriginal Health and #FASD articles published by NACCHO

“ Before the extra years were added to his sentence and before the trouble that led to them, authorities were warned that a teenage boy with severe cognitive impairments was deteriorating in Darwin’s Don Dale youth detention centre and needed help.

Key points:

  • A 17-year-old boy was recently sentenced to an additional four years’ jail over a riot in Don Dale in July 2018
  • The ABC has seen letters sent to authorities weeks before the riot, requesting urgent intervention
  • A Supreme Court judge accepted that conditions in the prison contributed to the boy’s offending

Legal letters seen by the ABC formally requesting urgent intervention in then-16-year-old Corey’s* “outrageous” treatment in the condemned facility were sent to the head of the Territory Families department and the NT Children’s Commissioner in June last year.

Legal Aid lawyers told authorities that the teenager — who has foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and a history of trauma starting from abandonment in hospital at birth — had been kept in effective isolation, with little fresh air, sunlight and schooling, and had been threatened and assaulted by other boys inside Don Dale.

A spokesperson said Aboriginal health organisation Danila Dilba was taking over primary health care in the centre, support services had been “significantly” increased and an FASD component was added to staff induction training.

Olga Havnen, who is the chief executive of Danila Dilba, said Corey had been set up to fail in a system that couldn’t help him.

She said the teenager’s conviction for property damage to Don Dale was ironic, asking: “Who pays for the damage caused to this young person?”

Extracts from ABC Report : Read in full here

Part 1 RACP Press Release

Doctors from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) are calling for the Australian Government to introduce mandatory pregnancy warning labels on alcohol products.

“Drinking alcohol while pregnant can lead to birth defects and lifelong neurodevelopmental problems associated with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders (FASD),” said Professor Paul Colditz, President of Paediatrics and Child Health at the RACP and an alcohol policy expert.

“FASD is the most common and preventable cause of serious brain injury in children in Australia. There is no cure for FASD, so prevention is everything. This is why clear and unambiguous messaging on the harms of drinking while pregnant is important and why such messaging should be mandatory across all alcohol product labels.

“With less than half of alcohol manufacturers currently using pregnancy warning labels we can’t look to the industry to self-regulate.

“There is also an inherent conflict of interest under the current approach where consumers are ultimately directed towards industry websites for warning information and may be exposed to contradictory messages.”

In its submission to the Food Regulation Standing Committee, the RACP makes a number of evidence-based recommendations about how to implement mandatory pregnancy warning labels.

The RACP recommends that behaviour change experts develop new text for warning labels. Graphics should feature on the label to convey the harms of alcohol to an unborn baby.

Consistency of messaging is important so warning labels should be standardised across the industry. Prominence of the labelling is also important.

“We know that pregnancy warning labels alone are not enough to prevent FASD, but we think it’s a step in the right direction for raising public awareness about the dangers of prenatal alcohol exposure,” Professor Colditz said.

The National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2016 found only 56 per cent of pregnant women said they abstained from drinking during pregnancy.

Part 2 NO FASD Press Release Continued

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) reports that 50% of Australian women experience an unplanned pregnancy.

The first few weeks of these unknown pregnancies are a major risk for prenatal alcohol exposure. Approximately 59% of Australian women drink alcohol at some time during their pregnancy, and estimates indicate that 1 in every 13 women who consume alcohol will have a child with FASD.

These numbers are staggering. The AMA states that “few accurate data on the prevalence of FASD in Australia is available but it is estimated that FASD affects roughly between 2% and 5% of the population in the United States”.

FASD is the most common preventable disability, and preventing FASD is a whole-of-community responsibility. Mothers never intentionally put their children at risk. Increasing awareness about the risks of drinking when you could be pregnant, and supporting women who are pregnant to abstain throughout their nine months, is essential for preventing alcohol-exposed pregnancies.

If you are pregnant, don’t drink alcohol. If you drink alcohol, don’t get pregnant.

Friends and partners can play a major role in supporting mothers to be alcohol free. For example it is much easier for a woman to say no to alcohol if her partner stops drinking too. We can support expectant mothers by organising fun alcohol-free activities, serving non-alcoholic drinks, and reducing or ceasing our own drinking.

If you, or anyone you know, is pregnant, planning or could be, NO ALCOHOL is the safest option

Nov 22 2018

NACCHO Aboriginal #RefreshtheCTGRfresh and #FASD2018 @GregHuntMP and @KenWyattMP unveil a new National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Strategic Action Plan 2018- 2028 and more than $7 million in new funding.

“Success is underpinned by a team effort, with collaboration between families, communities, service providers and governments.

FASD requires a national approach, linking in closely with local solutions. We are acknowledging the scale of the issue in Australia and intensifying efforts to address it.”

The Minister for Indigenous Health and Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt AM, said the Government’s approach to FASD was to invest in activities which have been shown to be effective.

“This plan will show us the way forward to tackle the tragic problem of FASD – guiding future actions for governments, service providers and communities in the priority areas of prevention, screening and diagnosis, support and management, and tailoring needs to communities.

Alongside the plan’s release, I am pleased to announce a new investment of $7.2 million to support activities that align with these priority areas.

This funding will enable work to start immediately and help protect future generations and give children the best start possible.”

Minister for Health Greg Hunt said the Government is committed to reducing the impact of FASD on individuals, families and communities.

Download a PDF copy of Plan 

National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Strategic Action Plan 2018-2028

” The forum delegates agreed that there was an urgent need for action to prevent FASD in our Top End communities, and across the Northern Territory.

It is essential that our responses do not stigmatise women or Aboriginal people.

It is important that we don’t lay blame, but instead work together, to support our women and young girls.

Everyone is at risk of FASD, so everyone must be informed the harmful effects of drinking while pregnant.

Our men also need to step up and support our mothers, sisters, nieces and partners, to ensure that we give every child the best chance in life.”

A landmark Top End Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) forum* was held in Darwin on 30-31 May 2018

Read over 25 NACCHO Aboriginal Health and FASD articles published over 6 years

The Federal Government is stepping up its fight against Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) today by unveiling a new national action plan and more than $7 million in new funding.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is the term used to describe the lifelong physical and neurodevelopmental impairments that can result from fetal alcohol exposure.

FASD is a condition that is an outcome of parents either not being aware of the dangers of alcohol use when pregnant or planning a pregnancy, or not being supported to stay healthy and strong during pregnancy.

This funding will enable new work to get underway and build on proven programs – to help protect future generations and give children the best possible start in life.

Key Points of action plan

FASD will be tackled across a range of fronts – including prevention, screening and diagnosis, support and management, and priority populations at increased risk of harm.

PREVENTION: $1.47 million including new consumer resources and general awareness activities – including national FASD Awareness Day, translation of awareness materials into a variety of First Nations languages, and promotion of alcohol consumption guidelines, and bottle shop point of sale warnings.

SCREENING: $1.2 million to support new screening and diagnosis activities, which will include reviewing existing tools and developing new systems and referral pathways, to assist professionals in community settings.

MANAGEMENT: $1.2 million goes to management and support activities, including tailored resources for people working in the education, justice and police sectors.

LOCAL TARGETING: $1.27 million to develop targeted resources, to meet local cultural and community needs.

BUILDING ON SUCCESS: $1.55 million to continue proven activities – with support for Australia’s FASD Hub, a one-stop shop containing the FASD Register and public awareness campaigns.

The Strategic Action Plan also establishes an expert FASD Advisory Group – which will report to the National Drug Strategy Committee on the progress being made, while promoting successful models and highlighting emerging issues and evidence.

From the FASD Workshop in Perth this week 

The plan is committed to breaking FASD’s impact on

  • Encounters with the law
  • Family breakdowns
  • Deaths in custody
  • Suicides and chronic health conditions

FASD requires a national approach, linking in closely with local solutions.

We are acknowledging the scale of the issue in Australia and intensifying efforts to address it.

The activities and actions outlined in the priority areas of the Plan are intended to guide future action – they are not compulsory and can be adopted as needed, along with other interventions and programs, based on local needs.

Activities should be evidence informed and based on best available research and data – actions should be tailored to individual communities and regions.

Since 2014, the Liberal National Government has provided almost $20 million in direct funding to tackle

Jun 6 2018

NACCHO Aboriginal Health and #TopEndFASD18 : “Let’s Make #FASD History” says Top End Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) forum with 6 key messages to be taken into account addressing FASD:

 ” The forum delegates agreed that there was an urgent need for action to prevent FASD in our Top End communities, and across the Northern Territory.

It is essential that our responses do not stigmatise women or Aboriginal people.

It is important that we don’t lay blame, but instead work together, to support our women and young girls.

Everyone is at risk of FASD, so everyone must be informed the harmful effects of drinking while pregnant.

Our men also need to step up and support our mothers, sisters, nieces and partners, to ensure that we give every child the best chance in life.”

A landmark Top End Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) forum* was held in Darwin on 30-31 May 2018

Read over 25 NACCHO Aboriginal Health and FASD articles published over 6 years

“ Territorians want and deserve access to high quality health services,” Ms Fyles said.

Alcohol abuse impacts on individuals, families, businesses and our community in many different ways, including the risk of causing permanent and irreversible damage to a baby if alcohol is consumed during pregnancy.

That’s why reducing alcohol related harm is a key priority of the Territory Labor Government.

Our Government will develop a whole of government framework to prevent FASD with universal and targeted strategies to address FASD “

Minister for Health, Natasha Fyles, today welcomed 180 delegates to the inaugural Top End Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Forum in Darwin see Ministers Press Release Part 2 below

#TopEndFASD18  Bringing together Aboriginal leaders, FASD experts, Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, government representatives, medical professionals, and Non-Government organisations. Approximately 180 delegates representing 37 organisations across the Northern Territory.

FASD is often considered to be a ‘hidden’ disability, because more often than not, the physical characteristics of the individual are not easily recognised. Instead, an individual may present with learning and behavioural difficulties, which may present for a range of disorders.

As a result, FASD is not easily identified and individuals can go undiagnosed and receive inadequate treatment and support.

The forum heard from the NT Minister for Health and the Attorney General Natasha Fyles, NT Children’s Commissioner, Colleen Gwynne, Professor Elizabeth Elliott, Dr James Fitzpatrick, NOFASD and FASD Hub.

The forum also heard from Aboriginal community controlled organisations Danila Dilba, Wurli Wurlinjang, Anyinginyi Health Services, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory and the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency.

Over two days, the forum delegates discussed the impacts of FASD on individuals, families and communities and acknowledged that alcohol misuse and its consequences are an issue for all Territorians, particularly our most vulnerable. Delegates also heard the evidence on how the prevalence of FASD impacts many of our services, including health, education and justice. Delegates learnt that trauma runs deep, and healing and making the right connections is crucial.

The delegates raised the following key messages to be taken into account in addressing FASD:

 1.Prevention and raising awareness

FASD is entirely preventable, much of its impacts are also irreversible. The harms caused by alcohol in our communities are not acceptable and we will all work together to develop prevention and intervention strategies that are culturally appropriate and relevant for our 2

people and communities. It is acknowledged that current and proposed alcohol control measures in the NT are a critical component of prevention.

2. Collaborative Approaches

The forum identified an urgent need for Aboriginal organisations, government agencies, NGOs and local communities to work together to develop policies and programs for women, men, children and communities in the Top End communities and to contribute to the development of an NT FASD Strategy. This needs to be Aboriginal community-led by the health, education, justice and child protection sectors.

 3.Access to FASD resources

It was evident that there is a need for more investment in developing culturally appropriate tools and resources for local Aboriginal communities and key stakeholders working on the frontline and also at the strategic level.

4.Assessment and Treatment services

An identified priority need is for the establishment of multi-disciplinary neuro-developmental assessment and treatment services that are strategically linked with existing service settings, including primary health care, education, child protection and the justice system.

5.Support for children and families

Research is needed to better understand how best to support children and families with FASD and other related issues that also often affect families, such as trauma. We refer to the Fitzroy Valley as a best practice model, as many strong women and leaders in the community worked in partnership with FASD experts and research institutes.

6.Workforce

The skilling and expansion of the workforce needed for prevention, assessment and treatment of FASD, particularly the community based remote Aboriginal workforce, was identified as an important need.

From this forum, we have heard the experiences about the high levels of despair and sense of disempowerment and hurt of our people and these are sad stories. We were also enlightened by the enthusiasm, dedication, passion and hope from local communities, all professions and services, that want to do more and can do more to make FASD History!

*APO NT will be producing a full report on the outcomes of the FASD Forum over the coming weeks.

Generational Change: Putting the spotlight on Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

30 May 2018

Minister for Health, Natasha Fyles, today welcomed 180 delegates to the inaugural Top End Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Forum in Darwin.

“Territorians want and deserve access to high quality health services,” Ms Fyles said.

“Alcohol abuse impacts on individuals, families, businesses and our community in many different ways, including the risk of causing permanent and irreversible damage to a baby if alcohol is consumed during pregnancy.

“That’s why reducing alcohol related harm is a key priority of the Territory Labor Government.

“Our Government will develop a whole of government framework to prevent FASD with universal and targeted strategies to address FASD.

“This strategy was supported by recommendations in the recent Riley Review into Alcohol Policy and Legislation Alcohol Report and is now an important part of the Territory Labor Government’s Alcohol Harm Minimisation Action Plan to deliver sweeping alcohol reforms for generational change.”

The NT Department of Health funded the Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT (APONT) to deliver the 2 day forum.

The themes of the Forum are:

  • Increase knowledge and raise awareness about FASD in Top End communities and the impact of alcohol during pregnancy on the developing baby;
  • Understand the impact of FASD on children, youth and their families
  • Identify the challenges, issues and solutions for governments, service providers and other key stakeholders;
  • Identify culturally appropriate resources, tools and protocols
  • Establish a Top End FASD Network.

Minister Fyles said that Forum provides an important consultation opportunity with the health sector and community to feed into the development of the NT’s FASD Strategy, for release later this year.

“Stories will be shared and ideas and actions generated to inform the Strategy, which in turn will help guide communities and Government to work together in partnerships to prevent FASD,” Ms Fyles said.

“The NT FASD Strategy will promote the screening of alcohol use before and during pregnancy; appropriate multi-disciplinary assessment; early intervention, support and case management; and will develop targeted education campaigns for those who are most at risk from alcohol-related harms.

“This work is supported in our Government’s 10-Year Early Childhood Development Plan to lead cultural change in reducing alcohol consumption and harms in the community.

“Our whole of government approach to respond to FASD will be crucial to preventing this completely preventable lifelong and permanent condition.”

 

Jun 29 2017

NACCHO Aboriginal Women’s Health #FASD Workshop dates : Development of the National #FASD Strategy 2018 – 2028

The Australian Government Department of Health is undertaking consultations to inform the development of the National FASD Strategy 2018– 2028.

The Strategy will provide a national approach for all levels of government, organisations and individuals on strategies that target the reduction of alcohol related harms relating to FASD, reducing the prevalence of FASD in Australia and provide advice and linkages on the support which is available for those affected by the disorder.

The objectives of the National FASD Strategy 2018 – 2028 are:

  • strengthen efforts and address the whole-of-life impacts of FASD;
  • address the whole-of-population issues;
  • support collaborative cross sectoral approaches required to prevent FASD in Australia; and
  • provide information and support those living with and affected by the disorder.

The Department has engaged Siggins Miller Consultants Pty Ltd (Siggins Miller) to undertake the development of the National FASD Strategywhich includes consultation with stakeholders and the development of a national strategy which provides a national holistic approach to reducing the prevalence of FASD; support Australians living with the disorder; guide the activities of individuals and communities as well as all levels of government, the public and research sectors, Not-For-Profit organisations which can adapted and implemented across Australia.

Siggins Miller is an experienced Australian consultancy company providing services for over 20 years in policy and program research, evaluation and management consultancy. The Siggins Miller project team is led by Professor Mel Miller (Director) and Mr James Miller (Senior Consultant).

As part of the consultation process, Siggins Miller will be conducting face-to-face strategy development workshops. There will also be other opportunities to provide feedback including through supplementary telephone interviews and written submissions.

The consultation period will run from 1st July, 2017 and conclude on the 1st September, 2017.

The workshops will be attended by with individuals and organisations working on FASD, individuals and organisations working with people affected by FASD, public health organisations and representatives of State and Territory Departments including: Health, Corrections and Juvenile Justice and Education and National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) Affiliates.

The workshops will be catered and run from 9:30am – 3:30pm. Face-to-face strategy development workshops will be held in and on:

Sydney: Tuesday, August 1, 2017.

Canberra: Thursday August 3, 2017.

Melbourne: Tuesday,August 8, 2017.

Hobart: Thursday, August 10, 2017.

Brisbane: Tuesday,August 15, 2017.

Cairns: Thursday, August 17, 2017.

Perth: Tuesday,August 22, 2017.

Broome: Thursday, August 24, 2017.

Darwin: Tuesday,August 29, 2017.

Alice Springs: Thursday, August 31, 2017.

Adelaide: Monday, September 4, 2017.

Exact addresses of venues are in the process of being finalised and will be communicated to all stakeholder by Siggins Miller in the coming weeks.

It should be noted that due to capacity of venues, spaces to attend the face-to-face strategy development workshops are limited in each location. Invited participants will also be responsible for any costs associated with attending the face-to-face workshop in each location.

Siggins Miller will be in contact with you by email in the coming weeks with an invitation for you to attend one of the face-to face strategy development workshops.

In the meantime, should you have any questionsabout the consultation and written submission process, please contact Siggins Millerby email on fasdstrategy@sigginsmiller.com.au or by phone on: 1800 055 070.

Please note that the 1800 number provided is a message bank service in which you can leave your inquiry, a senior Siggins Miller staff member will endeavour to return your call within 72 hours.

 

 

Feb 1 2017

NACCHO Aboriginal Health and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders #FASD : Community participation is a key principle in effective health promotion

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 ” Community participation is a key principle in effective health promotion. Gurriny have used a whole-of-community approach by involving the five above mentioned target groups when designing their FASD prevention activities.

Gurriny consulted with women of childbearing age to learn about their views and attitudes towards alcohol, and assed their current knowledge about the harms associated with drinking in pregnancy. It was also important for health professionals to understand what types of alcoholic drinks women of child bearing age were consuming and how much.

For further information about the FASD Prevention and Health Promotion Resources Project please contact Bridie Kenna on 0401 815 228 or bridie.kenna@naccho.org.au

Read 17 Articles about FASD

Menzies School of Health Research have partnered with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and the Telethon Kids Institute (TKI) to develop a package of resources to reduce the impacts of FASD on the Aboriginal population.

FASD is a diagnostic term used for a spectrum of conditions caused by fetal alcohol exposure. Each condition and its diagnosis is based on the presentation of characteristic features which are unique to the individual and may be physical, developmental and/or neurobehavioural.

The package of resources is based on the model developed by the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service (OVAHS). OVAHS is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service located in the far north east region of the Kimberly in Western Australia. OVAHS services Aboriginal people in the remote town of Kununurra and surrounding regions.

The package incorporates FASD education modules targeting five key groups:

  • Pregnant women using New Directions: Mothers and Babies Services (NDMBS) antenatal services, and their partners and families;
  •  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women of childbearing age;
  •  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander grandmothers;
  •  NDMBS staff who provide antenatal care
  •  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.

To complement the package of resources, two day capacity building workshops for the 85 New Directions: Mothers and Babies Services (NDMBS) were held in Darwin, Cairns, Melbourne (TAS, VIC and SA sites combined), Perth and Sydney. The aim of the training workshops was to enable NDMBS sites to develop, implement and evaluate community-driven strategies and solutions by:

i. Increasing awareness and understanding of alcohol use during pregnancy, and FASD;

ii. Increasing awareness and understanding of existing FASD health promotion resources;

iii. Increase understanding, skills and capacity to use existing FASD health promotion resources within NDMBS, in line with their capacity, readiness and community circumstances and needs.

Staff from Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service (Gurriny) participated in the Queensland FASD training workshop in April. Since then, Gurriny have thrived in the area of FASD prevention by implementing multiple strategies within their community.

A key component of the FASD training workshop was highlighting the importance of routine screening of women about alcohol use during pregnancy. Assessment of alcohol consumption, combined with education in a supportive environment can assist women to stop or significantly reduce their alcohol use during pregnancy. A number of screening tools were introduced at the workshop including AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption), which Gurriny have now incorporated into their own data recording system. This tool has three short questions that estimate alcohol consumption in a standard, meaningful and non-judgemental manner.

Gurriny now places great emphasis on providing routine screening of women about their alcohol use during all stages of pregnancy and recording results in clinical records at each visit. Health professionals at Gurriny often use brief intervention and motivational interviewing techniques to guide conversations about alcohol and pregnancy.

This is of particular significance when working with pregnant women, as there are multiple opportunities through routine antenatal care to provide support through the stages of change. There is sound evidence that motivational interviewing and brief interventions can decrease alcohol and other drug use in adults. Both practices are listed in the Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) guidelines as an effective strategy for positive behaviour change.

It is estimated that over half of all pregnancies in Australia are unplanned and many Australian women are unknowingly consuming alcohol during pregnancy. Providing women of childbearing age with reliable information about the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the importance of contraception use if they are not planning a pregnancy are essential strategies in preventing FASD. Staff at Gurriny have pre-conception discussions about healthy pregnancies and FASD prevention with women who cease contraception use and may be planning a pregnancy. Women are provided with reliable information in a supportive environment to help them make informed decisions.

Knowledge transfer strategies are a key component to ensure new information is shared and retained within the service and community. Members from Gurriny’s Child and Maternal Health team have shared the package of resources and new skills gained at the workshop with a number of their colleagues, both clinical and administrative. They have also shared the new information with relevant health professionals from external organisations, including the local hospital. This assists in developing a more consistent approach to FASD prevention and maximises available resources in the community. Gurriny have made links with other health and community services within the Yarrabah community to develop a coordinated, strategic approach to FASD prevention.

Community participation is a key principle in effective health promotion. Gurriny have used a whole-of-community approach by involving the five abovementioned target groups when designing their FASD prevention activities.

Gurriny consulted with women of childbearing age to learn about their views and attitudes towards alcohol, and assed their current knowledge about the harms associated with drinking in pregnancy. It was also important for health professionals to understand what types of alcoholic drinks women of child bearing age were consuming and how much.

Based on the findings, laminated cards were developed which show the number of standard drinks in each serving according to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) alcohol guidelines. These cards are used in both one-on-one and group based education sessions. There is no safe level of alcohol consumption at any stage of pregnancy; this message is emphasised at all opportunities with women of childbearing age.

Raising community awareness is a key strategy in successful health promotion. Gurriny have a strong presence in the Yarrabah community and often attend health and community events to raise awareness of the harms associated with drinking in pregnancy and FASD.

Health staff make use of any opportunity to raise awareness, share information and prompt people to think about making positive changes to their own drinking behaviour, or support others to do so.

Additional awareness raising strategies include showing FASD prevention DVD’s on iPad’s in clinic waiting rooms, demonstrating the concept of the invisible nature of FASD disability by using demonstration FASD dolls in education sessions, and having posters about healthy pregnancies and FASD prevention in clear view throughout the clinic.

Health promotion is most effective when multiple strategies are used which target not only the individual, but the community at large. It is evident Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service is using this approach in order to reach the best possible health outcomes for women, children and families.

For further information about the FASD Prevention and Health Promotion Resources Project please contact Bridie Kenna on 0401 815 228 or bridie.kenna@naccho.org.au

 

Nov 28 2016

NACCHO Aboriginal Health and #FASD : Record Indigenous incarceration #justjustice rates could be avoided with early clinical assessment: experts

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 “Australia’s prison population recently reached a record 33,791 with 27 per cent of those identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders

Leading experts in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) believe Australia’s record rates of Indigenous incarceration could be dramatically reduced if children were clinically assessed when their troubled behaviour first emerged in the classroom or at home.

In one form or another, Federal, State and Territory Governments have been inquiring into Indigenous prison rates since the 1987 leaving behind a long list of mostly-ignored recommendations “

As reported by Russell Skelton ABC

fasd

NACCHO partnered with the Menzies School of Health Research and the Telethon Kids Institute (TKI) to develop and implement health promotion resources and interventions to prevent and reduce the impacts of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and young children.

NACCHO Report 1 of 4 :Prevent and reduce the impacts of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)

Key points:

  • Experts say Indigenous incarceration rates could be reduced with early behavioural assessment
  • Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) affects many of those incarcerated
  • People with FASD are often unable to instruct a lawyer, understand court procedures and even the decisions handed down when convicted

The facts about FASD

  • FASD covers a range of conditions that can occur in children whose mothers drink during pregnancy
  • Conditions vary from mild to severe
  • The effects can include learning difficulties, behavourial problems, growth defects and facial abnormalities
  • The Australian Drug Foundation believes the condition is “significantly under-reported” in Australia
  • National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines say not drinking at all all during pregnancy is the safest option

A major issue in recent months:

  • Last month the Northern Territory’s adult prison population hit an alarming 15-year high. According to Corrections Commissioner Mark Payne 958 people are being held — almost half aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. He expects half will reoffend within two years of being released.
  • A report by Amnesty International Australia found, and ABC Fact Check confirmed, that incarceration rates for Indigenous children were 24 times higher than they were for non-Indigenous children.In WA the rate is 76 per 10,000, in the US, where rates of black incarceration are regarded as the highest in the western world, it is 52.
  • Attorney-General George Brandis and the Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion announced the Federal Government have commissioned the Australian Law Reform Commission to investigate factors behind the over representation of Indigenous Australians in prison and to recommend reforms to “ameliorate the national tragedy”.
  • The appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate brutal treatment and years of detainee abuse at Darwin’s Don Dale Youth detention facility.The move followed detailed allegations of mistreatment by the ABC’s Four Corner program.

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The #JustJustice book is was launched  at Gleebooks in Sydney yesterday by Professor Tom Calma AO, and NACCHO readers are invited to download the 242-page e-version

The Federal Government must make good on its promise to listen to, and work with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including engaging with the solutions put forward in the forthcoming #JustJustice essay collection.

The book includes more than 90 articles on solutions to protect the rights of Australia’s First Peoples.

The experts said parents, teachers and health workers were often well aware of unacceptable behaviour in young people — both Indigenous and non-Indigenous — long before they appeared before the courts.

Around 70 per cent of young people in the juvenile justice system are Aboriginal, and research shows rates of the disorder amongst Aboriginal communities are significantly higher than non-Aboriginal communities.

Elizabeth Elliot, professor of Paediatrics and Child Health a Sydney University, said: “What we need is screening tool so teachers and health workers can assess a child’s executive functions and red flag cognitive impairments early on before they encounter the justice system.”

Four Corners: Hidden Harm


Mothers share their anguish over children left brain-damaged by drinking during pregnancy

Paediatrician and clinical research fellow at Perth’s Telethon Kids Institute Dr Raewyn Mutch agreed, saying there was a growing need to identify serious behavioural issues associated with FASD and other developmental disorders such as autism so affected children can be better managed.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, known as FASD, occurs in the children whose mothers consumed alcohol during pregnancy.

Symptoms include lifelong physical, mental, behavioural and learning difficulties. It can cause severe intellectual impairment, learning and memory disorders, high-risk and violent behaviour.

Professor Elliott said reform in Australia had been “glacial” compared with Canada and the United States, as authorities have been slow to acknowledge the extent of the problem.

“In Canada it is estimated that 60 per cent of kids in the juvenile justice system are FASD, it is a huge number,” she said.

“We don’t need another inquiry into the justice system, we need governments to act on the evidence before them from past inquiries,

Professor Elliott was the paediatric specialist involved the ground-breaking Lililwan study initiated by Aboriginal women. The study that found that one in five Indigenous children living in WA Fitzroy River Valley had FASD. Although still teenagers, many were before the juvenile justice.

“For children suffering from FASD, it’s like having the umpire removed from an AFL match, they have difficulties deciding best choices or understanding cause and effect,” Dr Mutch said.

“A person with FASD may have cognitive impairment, language difficulties as severe as being illiterate.”

Professor Elliott, a widely acknowledged authority on FASD, said offenders — non-Indigenous and Indigenous — with fetal alcohol brain damage were often incapable of changing their behaviour and learning from mistakes.

“These are young people who can be easily led, are incapable of understanding the consequences of their actions, have difficulty understanding the boundaries for acceptable behaviour. They can confess to crimes they did not commit.”

Dr Mutch said not only FASD affected individuals ended up in the justice system, but children with developmental difficulties and also children traumatised by conflict and abuse.

She is involved in landmark study of young offenders in WA’s Banksia Hill Detention Centre to establish the prevalence of FASD and other neurological disorders. The study is likely to revolutionise strategies for handling juveniles with “neurodevelopmental” issues.

The study will establish the first authoritative estimate in Australia of FASD among young people in detention. It involves a two day multi-disciplined clinical assessment of children with the hope of developing a screening tool for application among all young people entering the juvenile justice system.

“Children in the juvenile justice system have ended up there for a variety of reasons, many of these kids have learning and memory problems,” Dr Mutch said.

“They may also have speech and language problems. Not all are FASD affected, but all I would predict have experienced severe trauma.”

A ‘national tragedy’

A Productivity Commission report into Indigenous disadvantage released last week confirmed rates of incarceration had failed to drop despite a string of reports, inquiries and recommendations dating back to 1987 Deaths in Custody Royal Commission.

Dr Mutch said children were being excluded from society because their behaviour.

“The central question is what are the factors that caused them to be like that and how best to rehabilitate them,” she said.

Both Professor Elliott and Dr Mutch believe screening and clinical assessments in childhood would identify cognitive problems, enable early treatment and result in profound improvements in troublesome behaviours.

This would have an impact on child protection placements including foster care and the management of group homes where evidence has emerged of inappropriate placements and poor supervision.

Offenders with FASD are easily led, coerced by their peers. They can be incapable of providing a record of events, names of associates and often confabulate even to the extent of making false confessions.

They are often unable to instruct a lawyer, understand court procedures and even the decisions handed down when convicted.

In one form or another, Federal, State and Territory Governments have been inquiring into Indigenous prison rates since the 1987 leaving behind a long list of mostly-ignored recommendations.

The Senate is also inquiring into the indefinite detention of people with cognitive impairments — a central issue when it comes to explaining the “national tragedy”.

The Telethon Kids Institute noted in a submission to Senate inquiry into the indefinite detention of people with cognitive and psychiatric impairment that diagnosis of FASD has been limited by a lack of knowledge and until recently an absence of accepted national diagnostic framework.

Australia’s prison population recently reached a record 33,791 with 27 per cent of those identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders.

 

Sep 1 2016

NACCHO #FASDAwarenessDay Aboriginal Health : AMA calls for #FASD to be recognised as a disability

FASD

” FASD has a significant impact on education, criminal justice, and child protection services in Australia, and yet has not been included by the Government on the list of recognised disabilities.

“FASD is associated with a range of birth defects including hyperactivity, lack of focus and poor concentration, delayed development, heart and kidney problems, and below average height and weight development,”

“The average life expectancy of a patient with FASD is just 34 years. FASD is extremely costly to our health, education, and justice systems, yet is potentially preventable.

AMA President, Dr Michael Gannon

FASD 3

“High rates of alcohol consumption have been reported in both the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal population.

Aboriginal women are more likely than non-Aboriginal women to consume alcohol in pregnancy at harmful levels. Australian research indicates that maternal alcohol use is a significant risk factor for stillbirths, infant mortality and intellectual disability in children, particularly in the Aboriginal population.”

NACCHO Newspaper Report

The AMA is calling for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD) to be included on the list of recognised disabilities, so that families can have access to much-needed support services.

Ahead of World Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day on 9 September, the AMA today released its new Position Statement on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder – (FASD) 2016.

FASD is a diagnostic term used to describe the range of permanent, severe neurodevelopmental impairments that may occur as a result of maternal alcohol consumption.

Globally, FASD is thought to be the leading cause of preventable birth defects and intellectual disability. World FASD Awareness Day aims to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking during pregnancy and the plight of individuals and families who struggle with FASD.

“The AMA welcomes the efforts of the Government, particularly the Commonwealth Action Plan, through which the Australian Guide to the Diagnosis of FASD was developed, but more must be done.

“The current Commonwealth Action Plan expires in 2017 and the lack of recognition of FASD on the Department of Social Services disability list leaves families without access to much-needed disability support services.

“The AMA urges the Government to continue to provide support for the important preventive and aftercare work being undertaken, and to include FASD on the list of recognised disabilities.”

Dr Gannon said that no safe level of fetal alcohol exposure to alcohol has been identified.

“The AMA believes that the safest option for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy is to completely abstain from alcohol consumption,” Dr Gannon said.

“The message is simple and safe – no alcohol during pregnancy.

“The AMA encourages partners, friends, and loved ones to support pregnant women in their choice not to drink,” Dr Gannon said.

The AMA Position Statement on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder – (FASD)

2016 is available at https://ama.com.au/position-statement/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-fasd-2016.

Background

  • We do not currently know the true extent of FASD in the Australian community, largely due to the complexity of the diagnostic process.
  • Data from comparable countries suggests FASD may affect roughly between 2 per cent and 5 per cent of the population.
  • Overseas research suggests that individuals with FASD are 19 times more likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system than their peers.
  • In Canada, this is estimated to cost the Juvenile Justice System $17.5 million CND and the adult custodial system $356.2 million CND annually
  • No safe level of fetal alcohol exposure has been identified.
  • The safest option for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy is to completely abstain from alcohol consumption.
  • FASD2                                    More Info www.nofasd.org.au
Apr 5 2016

NACCHO Aboriginal Health News Alert :One in five kids in remote communities has FASD -Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

photoFASD

One in five kids in remote communities has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Picture: Croakey

“Children in remote communities are suffering from disabilities caused by their mothers drinking at a rate drama­tically higher than previously report­ed, with one in five affect­ed by fetal alcohol­ spectrum dis­orders, accordi­ng to a new report.

The published rate from the only Australian population study in Western Australia’s Fitzroy Valley­ is one in eight, but that was a conser­vative figure.”

Report in today Australian   SEE 2nd Story BELOW

13. New

“High rates of alcohol consumption have been reported in both the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal population. Aboriginal women are more likely than non-Aboriginal women to consume alcohol in pregnancy at harmful levels. Australian research indicates that maternal alcohol use is a significant risk factor for stillbirths, infant mortality and intellectual disability in children, particularly in the Aboriginal population.”

Report in this weeks NACCHO Aboriginal Health News DOWNLOAD HERE

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term used for a spectrum of conditions caused by fetal alcohol exposure. Each condition and its diagnosis is based on the presentation of characteristic features which are unique to the individual and may be physical, developmental and/or neurobehavioral.

Health professionals asking and advising all women of child bearing age about the consequences of alcohol consumption in pregnancy is an essential strategy in preventing FASD.

Based on this evidence, NACCHO in partnership with Menzies School of Health Research and the Telethon Kids Institute have developed and implemented a flexible, modular package of FASD Prevention and Health Promotion Resources (FPHPR) to reduce the impacts of FASD on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. The package has been designed for the 85 New Directions: Mothers and Babies Services (NDMBS) across the country which are made up of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHO’s), State and Territory Government bodies and Primary Health Networks (PHN’s).

The package of resources is based on the model developed by the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service (OVAHS) which includes FASD education modules targeting five key groups:

  • Pregnant women who are using NDMB antenatal services, and their partners and families;
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women of childbearing age;
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander grandmothers;
  • NDMBS staff; and
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.

To compliment the package of resources, 2 day capacity building workshops for NDMBS staff are currently being implemented across the country. The aim of the workshops is to enable health professionals to develop, implement and evaluate community driven strategies to reduce the impact of FASD in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Addressing other health behaviours such as tobacco smoking and other drug use in pregnancy is also covered as part of the training. The interactive workshops focus on a broad range of skill development, ranging from community engagement strategies to one on one brief intervention and motivational interviewing techniques. Participants are also introduced to a range of screening tools to assess drinking alcohol, tobacco smoking and other drug use in pregnancy and how to use them effectively. The importance of data collection, continuous quality improvement (CQI) and monitoring and evaluation is also covered.

FASD

The first workshop was recently held in Darwin with great success. Participants gained valuable knowledge on the issue of FASD and the importance of developing practical, whole of community approaches to prevent it. The project team will now move to Queensland in April to deliver the second workshop followed by other States and Territories across the country.

For further information about the FASD Prevention and Health Promotion Resources Project please contact Bridie Kenna on (02) 6246 9310 or bridie.kenna@naccho.org.au

Mums’ excessive drinking linked to suicides in remote communities

NACCHO Note : this was the Australians headline

Children in remote communities are suffering from disabilities caused by their mothers drinking at a rate drama­tically higher than previously report­ed, with one in five affect­ed by fetal alcohol­ spectrum dis­orders, accordi­ng to a new report.

The published rate from the only Australian population study in Western Australia’s Fitzroy Valley­ is one in eight, but that was a conser­vative figure.”

In a report to the $22 billion ­National Disability Insurance Scheme agency, its authors say the real figure is 20 per cent.

James Fitz­patrick, the lead author­ of that study, says the collection of disorders — character­ised by the loss of decisio­n-making abilities and impuls­e control — are one of the most critical, preventable public health challenges and “absolute­ly” linked to a suicide epidemic that has ravaged far-flung communities.

“Children … in the remote communities in which I work have higher rates of anxiety and ­depression, higher rates of ­suicidal thoughts and a lot of ­people with FASD have drug and alcohol ­dependency problems,” Dr Fitzpatrick told The Australian. “This is the perfect storm for somebody to take their own life. Cognitive impairment of any cause is linked to momentary lapses in impulse control after a seemingly innocuous ­immediate insult. This is preventable, the result­ of social malaise and our destruct­ive relationship with ­alco­hol. It creates lifelong brain damage that then becomes an issue for health, disability servic­es, education, child protection and the criminal justice system.”

FASD is a spectrum of neuro-cognitive disorders caused by exposur­e to alcohol in the womb.

A diagnosis is made when three or more “structural or functional” brain domains — including memory, cognition and learning, ­behaviour, speech and language, and executive functions — are knocked out. For decades, little was known about it and the prevalence in Australia was hidden, a fact that prompted the NDIS agency to ask experts whether the impairmen­t should be considered a disability and whether it ­responded to ­treatment.

The answers, detailed in a ­report handed to the agency late last year but not publicly released, are: yes and yes.

Dr Fitzpatrick said FASD bore a resemblance to autism­, another con­dition with which the NDIS has been grappling, in that if it could be treated early with intensive therapy, severe longer-term problems could be ameliorated or avoided.

The report handed to the NDIS agency says “intensive, individu­alised behavioural treatment to improve cognitive skills” — the best of which cost about $50,000 a year per person — are “likely to be useful in FASD interventi­ons”.

“Some of the hallmarks of FASD are severe attention and behavioural problems, the maj­ority of those with FASD also have a diagnosis of ADHD,” Dr Fitzpatrick said. “The group of skills known as executive functions, they affect the brain’s ability to co-ordinate cognitive functions. Without (these) it is like trying to navigate your way around Melbourne with a map of Sydney.”

As they grow, children with the condition have a greater tendency to get caught up in crime, unable to factor in the consequences of their behaviour.