Comments on: Understanding fetal alcohol spectrum disorders http://whyy.org/cms/news/health-science/behavioral-health-health-science/2009/10/09/understanding-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorders/19614 News and Information from WHYY in Philadelphia Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:50:34 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Joye Joye http://whyy.org/cms/news/health-science/behavioral-health-health-science/2009/10/09/understanding-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorders/19614/comment-page-1#comment-752 Joye Joye Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:13:21 +0000 http://whyy.org/cms/news/?p=19614#comment-752 With early diagnosis, early intervention and parents who are willing to sacrifice their own lives to give the 24/7 support and protection it takes to keep these children safe, it is possible for some of them to survive on their own when they reach adulthood.....but, without it, the struggles and horrors they face are unimaginable to the average person. Look to Texas and the trial of Paul Devoe for the latest "newsworthy" example of what can happen to a child with FASD who is undiagnosed and raised by parents who haven't the faintest clue of what is wrong with them. To those of us who care for children/individuals with FASD, Devoe's childhood of being locked(along with his brother)in a room every day as "punishment" by his step-father for their behavior is a story that is all too familiar....as is his history of unacceptable behaviors, problems at school and his involvement with the law....as is the judgement by the doctor/psychiatrist who talked to him for only 2 hours that he "had no conscience", would repeat his bad behaviors and, therefore, deserved to die. The public howls for Devoe's execution, while giving not the slightest credence to expert testimony about FASD and the impulse control disorders caused by the brain damage....and every one of us out here knows that, with just one mistake....with just one lapse in that 24/7 supervision.... it could be us....it could be our own child.....facing that angry mob. Early diagnosis and intervention are important....but education and prevention are vital...and my own experience has been that the alcohol industry fights this in every way they can. Not only do they fight warning labels on the alcohol itself....they fight warning signs for pregnant women at points of sale....and are quietly backing the passage of laws, disguised as laws "to protect the small business owner against frivolous lawsuits" that carry language preventing lawsuits resulting from "legally manufactured products that were willingly consumed" in order to protect themselves from the same fate as the cigarette companies in the future. The cold hard reality is that we can expect no help from our elected officials in our goal to educate the public about FASD either....my local Rep's DUI arrest is shown on TV every time he runs for re-election.....and my State Senator is the#2 Senator accepting funds from the Alcohol lobby(funds required by law to be reported, that is). With early diagnosis, early intervention and parents who are willing to sacrifice their own lives to give the 24/7 support and protection it takes to keep these children safe, it is possible for some of them to survive on their own when they reach adulthood…..but, without it, the struggles and horrors they face are unimaginable to the average person. Look to Texas and the trial of Paul Devoe for the latest "newsworthy" example of what can happen to a child with FASD who is undiagnosed and raised by parents who haven't the faintest clue of what is wrong with them. To those of us who care for children/individuals with FASD, Devoe's childhood of being locked(along with his brother)in a room every day as "punishment" by his step-father for their behavior is a story that is all too familiar….as is his history of unacceptable behaviors, problems at school and his involvement with the law….as is the judgement by the doctor/psychiatrist who talked to him for only 2 hours that he "had no conscience", would repeat his bad behaviors and, therefore, deserved to die. The public howls for Devoe's execution, while giving not the slightest credence to expert testimony about FASD and the impulse control disorders caused by the brain damage….and every one of us out here knows that, with just one mistake….with just one lapse in that 24/7 supervision…. it could be us….it could be our own child…..facing that angry mob. Early diagnosis and intervention are important….but education and prevention are vital…and my own experience has been that the alcohol industry fights this in every way they can. Not only do they fight warning labels on the alcohol itself….they fight warning signs for pregnant women at points of sale….and are quietly backing the passage of laws, disguised as laws "to protect the small business owner against frivolous lawsuits" that carry language preventing lawsuits resulting from "legally manufactured products that were willingly consumed" in order to protect themselves from the same fate as the cigarette companies in the future. The cold hard reality is that we can expect no help from our elected officials in our goal to educate the public about FASD either….my local Rep's DUI arrest is shown on TV every time he runs for re-election…..and my State Senator is the#2 Senator accepting funds from the Alcohol lobby(funds required by law to be reported, that is).

]]> By: CHRISTINE NJOROGE http://whyy.org/cms/news/health-science/behavioral-health-health-science/2009/10/09/understanding-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorders/19614/comment-page-1#comment-750 CHRISTINE NJOROGE Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:18:40 +0000 http://whyy.org/cms/news/?p=19614#comment-750 IT IS CRITICAL THAT MORE INFORMATION AND EDUCATION BE AVAILABLE TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. OTHER COUNTRIES ARE FAR AHEAD OF US IN UNDERSTANDING FASD AND WORKING ON DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUAL'S IMPACTED. THE CDC AND SAMSA ARE ALL INVOLVED IN EDUCATION AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS. IS THERE ANY WAY TO PLAN FOR NATION-WIDE PROGRAMING NEXT "INTERNATIONAL FASD AWARENSS" DAY ON 9-9-10? IT IS CRITICAL THAT MORE INFORMATION AND EDUCATION BE AVAILABLE TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. OTHER COUNTRIES ARE FAR AHEAD OF US IN UNDERSTANDING FASD AND WORKING ON DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUAL'S IMPACTED. THE CDC AND SAMSA ARE ALL INVOLVED IN EDUCATION AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS.

IS THERE ANY WAY TO PLAN FOR NATION-WIDE PROGRAMING NEXT "INTERNATIONAL FASD AWARENSS" DAY ON 9-9-10?

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