D r - Edmonton and area Fetal Alcohol Network Society€¦ · for you and your family to cope....
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This newsletter contains information regarding resources, services, articles, research and any other materials that might inform and provide support to frontline workers and caregivers.If you wish to share information or to be added to our e-list subscription, please contact: Lisa: [email protected] Magdalena: [email protected] Brielle: [email protected] FASD Frontline Newsletter January/February Issue The first month of the new year should have a sense of optimism about it but for some people, January can seem like a long slog of a month to get through! The buzz and excitement from Christmas and New Year celebrations has died down and the decorations have long been put away. If you and your family enjoyed a festive season surrounded by family and friends, you may suddenly feel lonely now that everyone has returned home and back to work. Children and teens are getting restless as the short, cold days of winter have kept them inside for far too long. Although January can be a truly blue month, there are several ways for you and your family to cope. Inside this newsletter you’ll find some great tips to beat the Post-Christmas blues! Inside: Post-Christmas Blues 2 Nutrition 3 Articles of Interest 4-5 NewsFlash 6 Bulletin Board 7
Transcript of D r - Edmonton and area Fetal Alcohol Network Society€¦ · for you and your family to cope....
This newsletter contains information regarding resources, services, articles, research and any other materials that might inform and provide support to frontline workers and caregivers.If you wish to share information or to be added to our e-list subscription, please contact:Lisa: [email protected]
Magdalena: [email protected]
Brielle: [email protected]
FASD
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January/February IssueThe first month of the new year should have a sense of optimism about it but for some people, January can seem like a long slog of a month to get through! The buzz and excitement from Christmas and New Year celebrations has died down and the decorations have long been put away. If you and your family enjoyed a festive
season surrounded by family and friends, you may suddenly feel lonely now that everyone has returned home and back to work. Children and teens are getting restless as the short, cold days of winter have kept them inside for far too long. Although January can be a truly blue month, there are several ways for you and your family to
cope. Inside this newsletter you’ll find some great tips to beat the Post-Christmas blues!
Inside:Post-Christmas Blues 2Nutrition 3Articles of Interest 4-5NewsFlash 6Bulletin Board 7
Top 10 Ways to Beat the Post-Christmas Blues!The post-‐Christmas period can leave many of us feeling down. Back to work blues, an empty social calendar, festive weight gain, miserable weather and a dwindling bank balance can all contribute to a general feeling of melancholy. Thankfully there are many ways to get your spirits back up after the festive period. Here are some tips for beating the post-‐Christmas blues:
1. Make a Plan: After the Excitement of Christmas, going back to a regular, mundane routine is enough to lower anybody’s spirits. A good way to alleviate this feeling is to create something to look forward to. Depending on your budget and lifestyle, this could be anything from planning a family night out to booking a holiday. Whatever you plan, make sure it is something you will really look forward to, then start counting down the days!
2. Exercise Your Funny Bone: Laughter has been proven to be an extremely effective mood booster; releasing endorphins which instantly raise spirits and give a feeling of well being. To help raise your spirits, grab a funny DVD or book and spend a few hours exercising your laughter muscles
3. Brave Your Fears: If you are feeling listless and uninspired following the Christmas period, there is nothing guaranteed to energize you so much as stepping out of your comfort zone and taking a few risks. Make a commitment to doing one thing a week (or day) that makes you feel scared and take you out of your comfort zone. Whether it is something small (like starting a conversation with a stranger) or big (like moving to a new city). conquering your fears is guaranteed to put you in a positive mood.
4. Get Active: Although feeling glum is unlikely to put you in the mood to exercise, getting up and active is actually one of the best things you can do. Exercise not only releases mood boosting endorphins, but if weight gain is one of the things getting you down following Christmas, it will help you to quickly shift those excess pounds. Get out in the fresh air for a walk or run, or try some yoga or tai chi to help put you in a better frame of mind.
5. Watch What You Eat: While it may be tempting to bury your sorrows under piles of junk food, a healthy diet is actually much more effective at helping you feel good. Some mood boosting foods to stock up on are those containing B vitamins (which help produce serotonin) such as whole grains, nuts and marmite, and those containing Omega-‐3 fatty acids (which can help lift depression), such as oily fish or flaxseeds.
6. Don’t Be SAD: If you think the darkness and cold weather surrounding the festive season might be contributing to your blues, you may be one of many people suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If you find that you feel more depressed or lethargic over the autumn and winter months, it may be worth investing in a SAD light box which can help reduce the negative effects caused by the lack of natural light during this season.
7. Be Selfless: If you find that you are fixated on your mood post Christmas, it is a good idea to distract yourself by putting the focus on to others. Take some time out to do some volunteer work, or if you are short of time make a commitment to doing one small act of kindness a day such as listening to a friend’s problem or smiling at a stranger. Not only will helping others distract you from your own feelings but it will help you put things into perspective, As an added bonus, smiling is contagious and helping others feel happy will also put you in a better mood.
8. Perk Up Your Social Life: Spending time with others can be one of the greatest mood boosters, but you can’t always rely on everyone else to make the plans. If your social life could do with a boost following Christmas, it’s time to get proactive. Pick up the phone and give someone a call or arrange to visit someone who live a long way away. Alternatively, take up a hobby or join a club and start meeting some new people to spend time with you.
9. Get Your Finances in Order: One of the reasons many people feel blue after Christmas is because they have worries over their finances -‐ and the damage Christmas has wreaked on them -‐ hanging over their head. Rather than worrying about it, sit down and sort out your financial situation. See what shape you are in financially and, if necessary, set yourself a budget for the next few months or so. This may make you feel even worse right now but going on in ignorance means that your worries will eat away at you. Face your finances, work out how to move forward.
10. Ring the Changes: If the thought of going back to your regular routine is really depressing you, perhaps you should see this as a sign you need to make some changes. Although everyone feels a bit down about returning to work, if the thought is really making you blue then maybe it’s time to think about changing your job. Alternatively, perhaps you need to think about ditching another aspect of your lifestyle that is making you unhappy; your partner, perhaps, or those extra pounds in weight. Look at what needs to be changed then make a plan to tackle it in small steps. Instead of despairing over the end of Christmas, go in to the new year motivated and ready to kick-‐start your best year yet.
Like This? Try That!
Here you’ll find some great alternatives to some of those pesky foods that children, youth and adults can’t help but love!
Like: Boxed Macaroni & Cheese
Try: Homemade baked mac & cheese with wholegrain macaroni and lower fat cheeses
Like: Chicken NuggetsTry: Cut chicken breasts into strips, batter with panko breading and bake. Serve with lower fat dips like BBQ sauce and honey mustard
Like: French FriesTry: Homemade sweet potato fries. Cut sweet potatoes in strips, add a little olive oil and sea salt and bake in the oven
Like: Fizzy Drinks (pop)Try: Take your favorite 100% fruit juice and add some club soda (look for the low sodium options)
Like: Sour creamTry: substitute plain low fat yogurt in recipes that ask for sour cream
Like: Chips and DipTry: Cut whole wheat pitas into small triangles, brush with olive oil and broil until crispy. Serve with homemade humous or salsa
Like: Ice creamTry: frozen yogurt. Top with berries or nuts for extra flavor
Like: BaconTry: Turkey bacon
Like: Garlic BreadTry: Slice a whole grain baguette in half length-wise and brush lightly with olive oil, top with garlic salt or pureed garlic (a small amount will do). Broil until toasted. A small sprinkle of parmesan cheese will add flavor
Like: Sugary cerealsTry: Plain oatmeal or whole grain cereal topped with berries and natural honey.
Children and Youth who are poorly nourished may:•Be irritable, aggressive or moody•Be uninterested in learning situations and do poorly at school•Be unable to concentrate and focus on tasks•Have less energy for daily activities
Healthy Meals, Snacks and Drinks:Meals and snacks should be served at regular times each day. Serve 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks no longer than two or three hours apart for preschoolers and three to four hours apart for older children and youth.
Snacks should:•Satisfy hunger between meals (smaller stomachs and growth spurts require more frequent eating)•Provide energy and nutrients to fuel activity, growth and development•Include food group selections that are missed at mealtimes, such as vegetables/fruit, and milk/
alternatives
Note: Children and youth who are overweight or obese still require snacks; make sure they are nutritious food group choices and serving size is appropriate.
LIMIT POP!Pop has NO place in a child’s diet, and it should be limited for youth. Here’s why:•Just one can of caffeinated pop affects small children negatively (insomnia, headaches, irritability,
nervousness)•Research shows that a high intake of pop is associated with increased caloric intake and increased
body weight•Children and youth who drink pop are less likely to get enough calcium and vitamin D (because they
drink less milk)•High intake of pop is associated with increased cavities
Note: Only 100% unsweetened juice counts as a serving of vegetables and fruit. Fruit drinks may look like juice, but are mostly sugar and water and contain very little, if any, real fruit juice. Limit drinks with these words on the package: drink, punch, cocktail, -ade, beverage
Positive Mealtimes:•Serve food family style (where appropriate): let children and youth serve themselves so they are in
control of what and how much they eat.•Avoid controlling what or how much children and youth eat: Avoid bribing, rewarding, coaxing,
punishing and any other form of pressure. Expecting them to ‘clean their plate’ can lead to overeating.•Model good habits: Children and youth learn best from good examples. Watch your own eating
habits!•Eat at the table with no tv, phones or ipods: These all discourage socializing and make it harder to
focus on eating at mealtime.•Serve at least one well-liked food at mealtimes: Always have at least 1 food on the table that children
and youth will likely eat, even if it is just bread or rice.•Involve children and youth: If they are involved in the menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking and
serving, they are more likely to eat and enjoy the meal.
Note: Do not forbid or forceForbidding foods like cookies and candy can actually make children and youth want them more. Instead, provide occasional treats in reasonable portion sizes. Children and youth who are forced or pressured (e.g. clean their plates) to eat may lose touch with their body’s natural appetite control. This can lead to overeating and possible weight problems or eating disorders.
www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/specialneeds/healthy_eating.aspx
Food and Nutrition Tips for Children and YouthHealthy foods, in appropriate amounts, provide children and teens with the nutrients and energy they need for daily
growth and development. Children and teens who develop life skills and healthy eating habits at an early age are more
likely to eat nutritious foods throughout their lifetime. Nutritious foods are necessary to support mental, physical and
emotional health and well-being.
Funding Scarce for Programs That Reach Out to Pregnant Womenwww.canada.comDec 6, 2010The Vancouver Sun By: Kim Pemberton
The provincial and federal governments say they recognize the importance of educating pregnant women about the dangers of drinking while pregnant, but there is still no national or long-‐term provincial education plan focusing on prevention. “We need an organized campaign now,” said Dr. Sterling Clarren, CEO of the five-‐year old FASD Research Network, an alliance of the four western provinces and three northern territories. The network shares expertise and resources in FASD prevention, diagnosis and the advancement of FASD research. A U.S. study, done in 2004, found that of the four million pregnancies each year in that country, about 40 per cent of women admitted to drinking alcohol during their pregnancy and about three to five per cent drank heavily. (no similar study is available in Canada.)Clarren said the most damage to a fetus come from binge drinking, and this is exactly how young women are taught to drink on a weekend. “You would think prevention is simple but it’s not. This isn’t about women who don’t care,” he said. Clarren said some women may have serious addiction issues and need help to overcome them, while others might drink not knowing they are in the early stages of pregnancy. “We need to look at all aspects of prevention, public health warnings, educational campaigns, working with high risk women......Every door should be open. This should be on everyone’s radar.”The one provincial campaign that highlights the danger of drinking during pregnancy happens once a year, in September, when the B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Branch conducts a campaign and puts up posters and brochures in all government liquor stores on the dangers of drinking during pregnancy. But despite this effort, the government won’t put a warning label on alcoholic beverages.There are 45 pregnancy outreach programs is B.C. targeting high-‐risk women, run through community centers, neighborhood houses, and friendship centers. One of the longest-‐ standing programs to target “at-‐risk” women is the Healthier Babies, Brighter Future program in the northern community of Burns Lake, a town of 2,500 people. This community-‐based FASD prevention program, is funded by the Ministry for Children and Family Development, and has been helping high-‐risk mothers, many of them with FASD themselves for the past 12 years. It is run by the college of New Caledonia. The program’s four part-‐time outreach workers help about 30 women a year in Burns Lake. It is believed yo have an 80-‐per-‐cent success rate in encouraging women to abstain or significantly decrease their drinking while pregnant, said the FASD training coordinator Ann Guarasci. “These women are under duress. There’s a lot going on in their world. They could be living in a violent situation. They live in extreme poverty, so much so they don’t have food at the end of the month,” she said. An outreach worker is assigned to work closely with them to overcome their challenges. “I’m sure Burns Lake is not unique in having the issues we have. What sets us apart is we’re trying to provide services and we’ve seen some amazing results. It would be awesome to replicate this program in other communities. I truly believe providing that one-‐to-‐one support to women is the way to go,” said Guarasci.Janet Christie, the biological mother of an adult son with FASD, ran a support program for pregnant women in Victoria six years ago, but when funding ran out, the program closed. To her knowledge, no similar program is operating on Vancouver Island. “Funding is very hard to come by. It’s surprising because you would think where it starts is where they should focus money,” she said. “Their perception is there’s a lot of programs already (for women) but we’re saying, ‘if there are moms struggling with addiction and afraid to come forward because their children will be apprehended they won’t reach those programs.’” The non-‐profit organizations that provide services to at-‐risk mothers are all competing for provincial funding and there is no security from year to year the program will continue, she said. Although not perfect, the situation has improved considerably in the past decade, said Anne Fuller, who has been an FASD consultant for the Ministry for Children and Family Development for the past 10 years. She said that in 2003, B.C. was the first province in Canada to create a long-‐term strategic plan on how to address the problem of FASD, and in 2008, released its current 10-‐year Provincial Plan on FASD. The government wants to do a better job in the area of prevention and hopes to eradicate FASD entirely, said Minister of Children and Families Mary Polak. “We know FASD is one of the most prevalent issues that causes terrible harm in Aboriginal communities in particular, and we know it’s completely preventable,” she said. “There’s certainly a greater awareness. We’re getting closer to the time when we view a woman drinking alcohol much like how we view a woman smoking. But, we’re not there yet.”
Pregnant Woman Drinks at a Bar: What Would You Do?Hidden Cameras Capture People’s Reactions as Pregnant Woman Downs ShotsBy: Tami SheheriABC News: www.abcnews.go.com
Dec. 8, 2010
Inside McLoone’s seaside restaurant, customers were enjoying a bite and a drink. But one woman at the bar seemed to be enjoying a few too many: She ordered shot aftershot of hard liquor.
“Down the hatch!” she said as she downed a glass of tequila.
The woman looked about nine months pregnant, as if she were about to give birth at any moment. But she was really an actress,
not pregnant, and was drinking juice or water, not real alcohol. The bar was rigged with hidden cameras.
Many studies show that drinking alcohol while pregnant can cause a baby to develop Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Syndrome and conditions collectively referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Problems include distinct facial features and mental
retardation, joint deformities and heart defects. The damage is permanent.
While some doctors say an occasional glass of wine after the first trimester may be okay, the Surgeon General warns there is no
known safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant. According to government surveys, about 13 percent of women do drink during pregnancy and about 40,000 babies are born with some degree of alcohol related damage each year.
The actor playing a pregnant drinker toasted the patrons at the bar with her next drink, a glass of red wine. When her drink of
choice was wine, most people did not raise an eyebrow.
One woman who witnessed the experiment told us, “My doctor actually told me when I was very late in my first pregnancy, go home, relax, have a glass of wine.”
Other patrons drank along with the wine drinking, pregnant looking actor.
But what if she started to down shots of hard alcohol. would anyone say anything?
One woman who sat and drank with the actor told her she thought it was a personal choice and that she did not judge her actions.
Some looked to the bartender, who was also an actor, to intervene. One man told our actor-‐bartender “You’ve got a tough job and
she’s pounding that vodka like a sailor.” He then said he was biting his lips to not say something to her.
‘Who Does That?’
But he, like so many other people, did not know what to do.
Another male patron sitting at the bar also approached the bartenders.
“She’s slamming shots down, like who does that? Who does that?” He asked.
He later told us, “I think that a lot of people felt very awkward. You know you can’t tell people how to live.”
“Most of us don’t want to rock the social boat,”said social psychologist Carrie Keating. “And I think also when a woman is pregnant -‐-‐that’s her baby, that’s the bubble around the family, and that family privacy is a value we all have and we don’t like to disrupt that.”
Will anyone try to break through the family bubble?
Suddenly, a real life pregnant woman walks through the door. There is also a mom with a newborn baby sitting at the bar, and an
older mom....
Newsflash!Introducing Alberta Supports
On December 15, 2010 the Alberta government officially announced the Alberta Supports website and contact centre.
For the first time, Albertans can access information on more than 30 social based assistance programs and more than 100 services by visiting a single website or calling just one phone number. Information includes services related to: career and training, income support, disabilities, seniors, homelessness, abuse and bullying, children and youth, and making life decisions such as personal directives. Albertans can also estimate their potential eligibility and obtain referral information. At the same time, government has established several pilot projects to test approaches to improving in-‐person service delivery. It is important to note that Albertans can still access services in the person the same way they always have. Government, non-‐profit and private sector staff will also benefit from the Alberta Supports website and contact centre. By consolidating program information, staff will be able to focus more on what they do best -‐ providing effective solutions for the Albertans they serve. The Alberta Supports website is online at www.albertasupports.ca, and the contact centre toll-‐free number is 1-‐877-‐644-‐9992. In Edmonton, call 780-‐644-‐9992. For more information, read the news release at www.seniors.alberta.ca/albertasupports.
Are you looking for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder resources,
articles, programs, or information on supports and services in
Edmonton and the surrounding area?
Visit the Edmonton and Area Fetal Alcohol Network’s BLOG! The EFAN blog
contains the most up to date Network news as well as information on programs
and services in Edmonton, upcoming training opportunities and events as well
as all archived FASD Frontline Newsletters!
Visit the Blog at: http://www.edmontonfetalalcoholnetwork.wordpress.com
Bulletin BoardThe Alert Program, “How Does Your Engine Run?”
Session 2 -‐ For Children ages 3-‐6 yrs.
**Must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver who is willing to participate in the program**
Program Starting February 2011
How does your Engine Run” - The Alert Program for Self-Regulation is being offered as a fun, physically active, education series.
Come and have fun with your child while assisting him/her to learn the following skills:
(a) Recognize one’s own state of alertness
(b) Learn to take action to adjust this when necessary
(c) Begin to use the vocabulary of self-regulation to communicate more effectively with others.
For more information or registration forms, please contact:Fay WilsonPh: 780.640.9401 ext 228 Fax: 780.640.9404Email: [email protected]
Program Cost: $60 (Program delivery, snacks, supplies and workbooks) *subsidy available to cost share program fee and bus tickets
Participants Needed! The Adult FASD Assessment Project team at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital (GRH) is seeking participants for a research study. Specifically we want to reassess individuals who have confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure PAE and who were seen at the GRH Pediatric Clinic a minimum of three years ago. Who Can Participate?You must be: •18 years or older, and •Medically and psychologically stable for the purposes of engaging in the assessment. You must have a parent, caregiver, or support person who is willing to participate in the study. It is important that this individual knows you very well. We will ask him or her to engage in an interview and complete some questionnaires. What is involved? We will interview you and ask you to complete some questionnaires. You will do about 6 hours of testing to look at your thinking skills. We will also do a brief health screen and take your picture to look at facial features that are sometimes seen in individuals with PAE. If you want, we will give you feedback about your thinking skills, which will help you to understand how your brain is currently working. In addition, if you would like, we will work with you to create a management plan to address your current needs. How do you sign up?If you believe you are eligible and are interested in participating, please contact Dr. Kimberly Brodeur at 780.735.7999 extension 15760
