Every year on September 9th, International FASD Awareness Day is observed. Proclamations are issued in countries, states, provinces, and towns all around the world. Bells are rung at 9:09 a.m. in every time zone from New Zealand to Alaska. People all around the world gather for events to increase awareness of the harmful effects of prenatal exposure to alcohol and the need of people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and their families for life long support. The first FASDay was celebrated on 9/9/99. This day was chosen so that on the ninth day of the ninth month of the year, the world will remember that during the nine months of pregnancy, no alcohol is best. Anytime is a good time to raise awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
Here are some easy things you can do:
Get informed:
- FASD prevention involves much more than providing information about the risks of alcohol use in pregnancy. There are four levels of FASD prevention and all are important.
- What does “FASD awareness” actually mean? The answer is that FASD awareness is multi-layered… Learn more.
- Discover the new, most excellent CanFASD infographic here, with key messages about what is known about alcohol and pregnancy.
- Learn how to effectively address the common questions about FASD while avoiding stigmatization here.
- Know someone struggling with FASD? This infographic summarizes the challenges caregivers of a person with FASD face, and how to best help them.
Get the word out:
- Breach the subject: Specific prevention strategies have been shown to have positive impacts in preventing or reducing alcohol use in pregnancy and also in reducing negative outcomes for those affected by FASD. Ask about the use of alcohol with all women and girls in their childbearing years.
- Service providers across a range of health care and social service settings can have an important role in addressing the potential harms of substance use, including alcohol.This resource focuses on brief intervention with girls and women in the preconception and perinatal period.
- FASD is not only a women’s issue. Here‘s what men can do to help.
- Get active on Social Media. If you use #FASDAwarenessDay #CanFASD, or @CanFASD on Facebook and Twitter, you may WIN Great Prizes from CanFASD! Lacking inspiration? Simply retweet the facts CanFASD has been posting here.
- Click here for many more ideas.