One of the authors of a recent study, Examining Adaptive Abilities in Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
and/or ADHD stated
“Our findings add to the literature by comparing these two important childhood disorders,” s… “By clarifying what is unique to FASD and what is shared with other developmental conditions, we can improve differential diagnosis and provide a framework for the development of targeted interventions.”

Read more about the study by clicking this link.

Local Coalitions in NJ will attend a special session to learn more about Lead in Dirt. This will be a highly informative session and anyone can attend if you pre-register.

Read more about the Lead in Dirt Seminar

CDC is announcing the launch of an FASD application (or app).  The app is a way for users to access the latest information related to alcohol use during pregnancy and FASDs directly from an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad. From women planning a pregnancy to health care providers to families and educators, this app helps users easily find and share the latest in the prevention, recognition, and treatment of FASDs. This application is a companion to CDC’s FASD website and is CDCs first health condition-specific app! Check out these features:

·         Alcohol consumption data by state

·         Easy-to-read information on diagnosis and treatments for children with FASDs

·         Individualized pages for different users ? women, families, health care providers, educators, and partners

·         Training and education resources

·         Access to free materials on alcohol use during pregnancy and FASDs

·         Information on what CDC is doing in this area

Download the FASD app  — from your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, go to the Apple App store and search for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders NOW ! Click this link for the FASD Mobile Link

Virtua is presenting a professional educational event titled “The Key to Success: Skin-to-Skin Mother Care.” Dr Bergman is world renown in areas of breastfeeding and perinatal neuroscience, and will be traveling from South Africa for a limited engagement in the United States. This conference will include his holistic view of skin to skin mother care and its neurological effects on mother and infant. Topics will relate to practices in hospitals and communities in the tri- state region.

Click this link to register for this conference, The Key to Success: Skin-to-Skin Mother Care”

SAMHSA News Release

Date: 5/10/2012 12:05 AM
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press Office
Telephone: 240-276-2130

New report shows more than one in five pregnant White women smoke
cigarettes

Study shows significant differences in substance use rates among Blacks,
Hispanics, and Whites

A new report shows that 21.8 percent of pregnant White women aged 15 to
44 currently (within the past 30 days) smoked cigarettes. The study
conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) also showed that cigarette smoking levels among
pregnant White women were significantly higher than the levels among
pregnant Black women (14.2 percent) and pregnant Hispanic women (6.5
percent) in the same 15 to 44 age range.

In terms of current illicit drug use, however, the report found that the
rate among pregnant Black women (7.7 percent) was significantly higher
than among pregnant White women (4.4 percent) and pregnant Hispanic
women (3.1 percent).

The rate of current alcohol use among pregnant Black and White women is
roughly the same (12.8 percent and 12.2 percent respectively), but their
levels were substantially higher than pregnant Hispanic women (7.4
percent)

Overall, pregnant Hispanic women in this age range were less likely to
use alcohol and cigarettes than pregnant Black and White women.

“When pregnant women use alcohol, tobacco, or illicit substances they
are risking health problems for themselves and poor birth outcomes for
their babies,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “Pregnant women
of different races and ethnicities may have diverse patterns of
substance abuse. It is essential that we use the findings from this
report to develop better ways of getting this key message out to every
segment of our community so that no woman or child is endangered by
substance use and abuse.”

SAMHSA’s Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Center for Excellence
sponsors a number of state-of-the-art programs for addressing the
problem of substance abuse among pregnant women. These programs include:

*         Project CHOICES-Reaches out to women at risk of having an
alcohol-exposed pregnancy before they become pregnant to provide
information and help.

*         Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) – Helps identify and
provide assistance to people in need of treatment. The program uses a
simple written assessment of alcohol use and a 10-15 minute intervention
with pregnant women who report drinking.

*         Parent-Child Assistance Program (P-CAP) – The program uses an
intensive paraprofessional home visitation model to reduce risk
behaviors in women with substance abuse problems over a three-year
period.

These programs implement evidence-based interventions and have helped
many pregnant women lead healthier lives and improve the outcomes for
their children’s health. Click this link for more information about the FASD Center for
Excellence.

The report entitled, Data Spotlight: Substance Use During Pregnancy
Varies by Race and Ethnicity, is based on data analyzed from SAMHSA’s
2002-2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). NSDUH is a
scientifically conducted annual survey of approximately 67,500 people
throughout the country, aged 12 and older. Because of its statistical
power, it is the nation’s premier source of statistical information on
the scope and nature of many substance abuse and behavioral health
issues affecting the nation. Click this link for the full report

There will be an insightful and informative professional education session, Adolescent Pregnancy, on June 20, 2012. Click this link for more information on this professional education offering from Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative.

NOFAS

Peggy – Birth mother of a person with FASD

Watch the Video

Peggy is a long-time member of the NOFAS Circle of Hope/Birth Mother’s Network.
She talks about the love and acceptance she found by befriending other birth
mothers and the forgiveness she received from her own daughter.

NOFAS Welcomes William Edwards to the Tom and Linda Daschle FASD Hall of Fame

NOFAS recently inducted William Edwards, Deputy Public Defender with the Los
Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, to the Tom and Linda Daschle FASD Hall
of Fame for his important work in the field of criminal justice and FASD.

FEATURES

Foetuses abused in the womb – study

A soon-to-be-released study will reveal that women in New Zealand are four times
more likely to consume alcohol during pregnancy than mothers in the United
States, and are twice as likely to drink large quantities of alcohol.
Article, Stuff.co.nz, May 13, 2012

Connected by Phoenix Coyotes’ spirit

10-year-old Gabby Spurbeck has overcome great odds to survive FASD and now
shares her love of hockey with her favorite team, the Phoenix Coyotes.
Article, The Arizona Republic, May 13, 2012

Report Details Drug And Alcohol Use By Pregnant Women

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently
released a report on alcohol and drug use by pregnant women. The rate of alcohol
use by pregnant Caucasian and African American women was about 12%, higher than
Hispanic women with 7%.
Article, Red Orbit, May 11, 2012

Living, teaching fetal alcohol syndrome

The story of 11-year-old Noah Welch and his group “Prevent Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome with Noah.”
Article, Havasunnews.com, May 7, 2012

National Survey on Abuse of People with Disabilities

Dr. Nora Baladerian of the Disability and Abuse Project is conducting a survey
that focuses on “incidents of, response to, and attitudes about, abuse or crime
victimization of children and adults with disabilities.” Click on the link
above to take the survey.
Survey, Disability and Abuse Project, May 2012