From Vancouver to Brisbane: FASD Conference 2013

Well hallelujah! It’s finally happening albeit over 20 years behind. The first conference in Australia dedicated to looking at how to bring about change to many Australian families that continue to suffer with FASD in silence.

A lot of the problems associated with FASD could have been alleviated if Australia had adopted similar alcohol warnings that the US, Canada and a range of European countries have had in place for over 20 years.

In 1994, the Aboriginal Drug & Alcohol Council (SA) Inc started producing health promotional resources trying to raise awareness about FASD. We experienced a lot of negativity from a range of people, organisations and medical professionals that there was no such thing. We encountered a lot of opposition but continued anyway.

In 2007, myself along with about 10 Australians and including FASD advocates such as Lorian Hayes, Janet Hammill, Sue Miers, Elizabeth Elliot, Collen O’Leary and Carol Bowers from WA attended the 2^nd International Conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Research, Policy and Practice Around the World in Vancouver, Canada.

Over 1,200 delegates from countries such Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, Finland, Nigeria, El Salvador, Canada, Holland, Germany, South Africa and the United States attended.

Even though there has been research across the world looking at the impact of alcohol and fetal development – you wouldn’t know it here in Australia.

Doctors and advisory groups are still advising women “it’s ok to drink in moderation’ even though world evidence is overwhelming in its advice that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumed while pregnant.

Although it has taken quite a long time for there to be any action on FASD in Australia I am highly excited that the FASD conference in November will lead to a change in the way we deal with FASD.

We as Australians need to make sure that this issue finally receives the attention that it deserves and actioned on behalf of all those suffering from alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

The 1^st Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Australasia Conference is happening in  Brisbane November 19^th – 20^th. You can find out the latest about the conference on Twitter @FASD2013 and #FASD2013.