The message is the same, even if the delivery methods have changed.
The Norwest Community Health Centre is getting the word out about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, which affects between 2 and 5 out of every 100 babies born in Canada.
“There’s a combined population of almost 232,000 throughout Northwestern Ontario. That said we could have close to 12,000, if not more, that are living with FASD in this region” suggests Maureen Parkes, the FASD Coordinator with the Centre.
The Centre has delegated many in-person events online because of the ongoing pandemic, including training and presentations.
Parkes adds there are misconceptions about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
“Certainly there was a day where people thought you only had FASD if you had certain facial features. I can count on one hand the number of people that come into our Centre that have the brain based disability and have facial features” says Parkes.
For those who use the Centre there are a number of tools for help or a diagnosis.
“We work people in the community who provide neuropsychological and speech and language assessments. Now we’re able to perform occupational assessments to determine if these individuals have FASD” notes Parkes.
Today is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day and under normal circumstances the Norwest Community Health Centre would be conducting training, presentations and the powwow on the waterfront.
Parkes mentions the Centre can diagnose people as young as 4 and as old as 60.
To find the nearest Centre click here