Now, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day, which takes place on September 9 every year, has crossed international borders and increased awareness of the disorder - from Australia to South Africa, Italy, Sweden, Germany, the United States and Canada.
Having been first diagnosed in 1973, FASD is the result of alcohol consumption by the mother during pregnancy. Children born with FASD can suffer from a variety of problems - including growth restriction during pregnancy, intellectual disability (memory problems, abnormal brain structure, hyperactivity, low IQ, or poor social skills) and physical birth defects (cleft palate, poorly aligned teeth, heart defects, wideset eyes, or small lower jaw).
While no national statistics on FASD currently exist in Canada, it is estimated that 280,000 Canadians are currently affected by the disorder. Initial studies indicate that Aboriginal communities may suffer the highest rates.
As Canada's federal agency for health research, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has consistently supported research into FASD, primarily through its Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH), Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (IAPH), and Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA).
Since its creation in June 2000, CIHR has invested approximately $3 million - with various grants and awards programs - into research that will help in the prevention, treatment and diagnosis of FASD, as well as expand the knowledge base about the biological mechanisms underlying alcohol's adverse effects on the developing fetus and about long-term health effects.
CIHR's research efforts on FASD are in line with significant steps taken by the Government of Canada over the past two decades, including Standing Committee on Health reports, private members' bills and a National Advisory Committee on FASD. With its 1999 National FASD Initiative, the federal government encouraged collaborations with provinces, territories and Aboriginal communities to raise awareness about FASD, facilitate preventive strategies, and develop guidelines for screening, diagnosis and treatment.
Two CIHR-funded projects that demonstrate the agency's dedication to the Government of Canada's national initiativeinclude:
Both of these projects highlight the diversity of the FASD research supported by CIHR. There is much work yet to do, but with coordinated efforts and a consistent focus, FASD research will lead to improved prevention and treatment and reduced suffering from this disorder.
