Many adoptive families raise the concern of potential drug use by birth mothers and the possible deleterious effects on the infant/child. Drugs are obviously potentially harmful. However, alcohol has proved to be much more damaging and with wide ranging long term negative effects.
Over the past few years, I have shared many articles on my FB feed about the dangers of fetal alcohol syndrome (FASD) and I am hopeful that these dangers are becoming a part of the discourse of proper pre-natal care given the increasing coverage of this issue in our national media.
This Canadian lecture breaks down the actual costs of FASD on individuals, families and society in general.
The costs are quite alarming, let alone the emotional and financial drain of caring for individuals with disabilites. This is a preventable disability-let’s prevent it!