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TheTorontoStar March2,2009Monday CorrectionAppended

Alcoholdisordertakestoll DamagecausedbyexpectantmotherswhodrinkcostsCanada$5billionayear, researchersfind

BYLINE:EmilyMathieu,TorontoStar SECTION:NEWSPg.A04 LENGTH:853words

ThedamagecausedbyexpectantmotherswhodrinkduringpregnancyiscostingCanadamorethan$5billionayear,areport says. FetalAlcoholSpectrumDisorder(FASD)impactsonein100children,oralmost243,000Canadians,causinglowbirth weight,restrictedgrowth,physicalandmentaldisabilityand,insomecases,heartproblems. Doctorsdealingwiththedisordersaythereisadireneedformorediagnosticservicesandwarnthatevenwithgovernment intervention,FASDwillcarryahighpricetagforgenerations. "WeallknowonedrinkisnotgoingtocauseFASD,"saysDr.BrendaStade,theheadoftheFASDclinicatToronto'sSt. Michael'sHospitalwhocowrotethepaper,publishedintheJanuaryeditionoftheCanadianJournalofClinical Pharmacology."Bottomline,youshouldabstainifyoucan.Ifyoucan't,youshouldgotoyourfamilydoctorandtrytocut down." EightyearoldCaitlynNugentwasbornaddictedtoalcoholafterhermothersippedvodkacoolersthroughoutherpregnancy. Her10yearoldsisterChrystalisn'tasbadlyaffectedbuthasalsobeendiagnosedwithconditionsclassifiedunderFASD,an umbrellatermforavarietyofmental,physicalandbehaviouralproblemslinkedtodrinkingduringpregnancy,including FetalAlcoholSyndrome. "Thechildrendolooknormal,buttheydon'tactnormal,"saystheirgrandfather,DougNugent,whowithhiswifeLarraine haveraisedthegirlssincetheywerebabiesinToronto.Theirsonisthegirls'father."Thereisalotofconfusionabouttheir behaviour...theyarenotspoiledbrats.It'sjustbraindamage." SomeFASDchildrenbearhallmarkfacialfeatures,includingsmallerandwideseteyes,athinupperlipandnogroove betweenthenoseandlip.Butmanydon't,whichiswhytheirbehaviourisoftenmisunderstoodwellintoadulthood."These peoplehavebeenstrugglingforyearsandnobodycanreallyrecognizetheirdisability,"saysStade,whohasadoptedachild withthedisorder.Theclinicopenedsixyearsagoanddiagnosesabout400patientseveryyear,ofallages.Theyare expandingtomeetdemand. ThereportbytheHospitalforSickChildren,thePublicHealthAgencyofCanadaandSt.Mike's,involvedinterviewswith 250caregiversofchildrenandadultswithFASDonthecostsofemergencymedicalcare,healthservices,educationandout ofpocketspending,includingmedicationandrecreationalactivities.FASDisarecognizeddisabilitysothecostsofthe

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OntarioDisabilitySupportProgramwereincluded.Nooneknowsexactlyhowmuchalcoholcausesthedisorder.Toprevent confusionoverwhatcouldbesafe,mostexpertsadvisepregnantwomennottodrinkatall. Everychild'sconditionandneedsaredifferentandcomplicated,Stadesays.Mentalimpairmentincludesbehaviouralissues, problemslearningandimpairedsocialskillsandjudgment. Butmanychildrenwiththedisorder,shesays,aresociallyadept,usingsmalltalktofitinand,giventhepropersupport,can functionwellincertainpositions,includingsometrades.Butgettingtothatpointrequiresatremendousamountofsupport. Dougandhiswifeareboth57.But,hesays,"myretirementstartedsixyearsago,oncethekidscame.Icouldn'tgooutand workfulltime." CaitlynandChrystalhaveseriousdentalproblemsand"theirimmunesystemiszilch,"saystheirgrandfather.Theyboth requireinhalersandareconstantlybattlinginfections.Theyhavehadspeechandphysicaltherapyandneedsensory integrationtherapyessentiallyexposingthemtoabarrageofsensationstoteachthemtorespondproperlytostimuli. FASDchildrenhavetroublefocusing,saysDoug. "Theteachers,theycan'tunderstandwhythekidsarenotcapableofdoingwork...thesignaldoesn'tgetthroughproperly." It'seasy,Dougsays,foroutsiderstofindfaultwithachildaffectedbyFASD.CaitlynandChrystalhavedifficulty understandingsocialcues,it'shardforthemtoplaywithotherchildrenandtheyarepronetoseveremoodswings."I'malittle bitscaredforthegirlswhentheystartthenextlevelofschool.Thesocialaspectsofthehigherlevelschoolsscareme, becausethesechildrenaresovulnerable,"hesays. Oftheirteenageyears,Larrainesays:"I'mreallydreadingthembecausetheyaresuchfollowers...itdoesn'tmatterhowmuch youtrytostreetwisethem.Itisgoingtobehard."Sheandherhusband'smaingoalistoraiseawarenessandgetthe governmenttoprovidefundingforearlyservicesandtherapiesforkidswithFASDandtheirfamilies. ThatiswhytheyinvitedtheStarintotheirhometospeakaboutthegirls.Theyhaveappliedtwicetotheprovince'sFamily ResponsibilityOfficetogetcoveragefordentalcareandprescriptionmedication.Theywererejectedbothtimes,told incorrectlythatFASDisnotarecognizeddisabilityandthatbeinggrandparentsdisqualifiesthem. "Iwouldlovetotellthegovernmenttolivewiththesechildrenthemselves,"saystheirgrandfather."It'sbangingyourheadup againstabrickwall,tryingtogetacceptanceforthesechildren...theyneedassistance." LOADDATE:March7,2009 LANGUAGE:ENGLISH CORRECTIONDATE:March6,2009

CORRECTION:TheNugentfamilytwiceappliedtotheMinistryofCommunityandSocialServices,nottotheFamily ResponsibilityOffice,intheirattempttogetcoveragefordentalcareandprescriptionmedication. GRAPHIC:TaraWaltontorontostarLarraineNugentsitswithhergranddaughters,Chrystal,10,centre,andCaitlyn,8,right, intheirlivingroom.Caitlynwasbornaddictedtoalcoholafterhermotherdrankvodkacoolersthroughoutherpregnancy. Chrystalisn'tasbadlyaffectedbutalsosuffersfromFetalAlcoholSpectrumDisorder. DOCUMENTTYPE:COLUMN PUBLICATIONTYPE:NEWSPAPER

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Copyright2009TorontoStarNewspapers,Ltd.

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