Raising Awareness on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Pennsylvania

Added by on September 2, 2010

The Pennsylvania Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Week, taking place between September 7 and September 12, is organized with the intention of raising awareness among Pennsylvanians on how alcohol consumption during pregnancy can harm babies.  The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, also known as FASD, is the name given to effects that can show up in children whose mothers consumed alcohol during the time of pregnancy.

Estimations show that 1 in 100 children suffers from FASD at birth, in other words, approximately 40,000 babies suffer from the aftermaths of mothers drinking alcohol during pregnancy. In order to raise awareness, Janice Kopelman, the Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, recently stated that FASD can be prevented if women stop drinking while trying to conceive, or in the case that the pregnancy is unplanned, as soon as they find out they’re pregnant.

Since FASD effects can cause numerous disorders in a child, Kopelman and supporters of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Week want to point out the importance of educating the Pennsylvania community about FASD, the harm it can bring and how its effects can be prevented.

FASD can lead to both mental and physical disabilities, such as having a hard time learning, delayed speech development and poor coordination.