Thinking Outside the Box – An Interview with Dr. Ana Hanlon-Dearman Dr. Ana Hanlon-Dearman is a Developmental Paediatrician and the Medical Director of the Manitoba FASD Centre. As a Developmental Paediatrician, Dr. Hanlon-Dearman treats children with cognitive, learning, and behavioural disabilities. This includes children diagnosed with disabilities such as FASD, ADAH, and autism. She has spent the majority of her … Read More

With the recent celebration of FASD day on September 9th, society is being exposed to more information on FASD. It is important to be aware of the language we use when speaking about FASD, in order to prevent perpetuating misinformed beliefs. One such phrase that is often used to describe FASD is that FASD is “100% preventable”. This statement is … Read More

Dr. Jacqueline Pei, known as Jacquie to her friends and colleagues, has been involved with the Canada FASD Research Network now for about 10 years. Jacquie wears multiple hats with the CanFASD team. Not only does she lead the Intervention Network Action Team (INAT), she is also the Senior Research Lead with our organization. “I feel as though I currently … Read More

Issue Individuals with FASD face a great deal of stigma because of their diagnosis, their perceived abilities, and society’s preconceived ideas of their character. The stereotypes and discrimination experienced by individuals with FASD is both external (i.e., in society) and internal (i.e., within the individual). Our newly released issue paper focuses on the ways individuals with FASD experience stigma, the … Read More

Dr. Mansfield Mela, MBBS, FWACP, MRC (Psych), MSc, FRCPCDr. Mansfield Mela is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan. His clinical practice is out of the Forensic Outpatient Clinic at University of Saskatchewan and the Forensic Inpatients Services at Regional Psychiatric Center, Saskatoon. Dr. Mela’s recent research studies include psychiatric drug use in sex offenders, FASD in forensic … Read More

The 4Y Program is a new program for youth living in Yellowknife. It is  a project of the Foster Family Coalition of the Northwest Territories, however it is not exclusive to youth in foster care. This program was created based on the obvious need of direct support for youth with FASD, especially in the area of transition planning and implementing … Read More

Background Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders experience diverse disabilities that are caused by cognitive impairments, attention and memory deficits, challenges in learning, communication and language. They also struggle with flexible thinking, decision-making, problem solving and working memory. Fortunately, with appropriate interventions, their attention, memory and learning skills can be significantly improved. ‘Metacognitive training interventions’ teach students to understand the … Read More

In order to prevent FASD, it is important for professionals who work with pregnant women, such as midwives and nurses, to properly screen for alcohol use, educate on the impact of alcohol use during pregnancy, and provide intervention support for pregnant women. The authors of this study surveyed 578 midwives, nurses, and nurse practitioners in the United States who provide … Read More

Recently, a personal story has been circulating the internet regarding a post on the interactive social media news platform, Reddit. The story outlines a restaurant waiter in the United States who provided a customer with ‘virgin’ cocktails (i.e., without alcohol), when she ordered alcoholic beverages, as the waiter believed the woman was pregnant. In Canada, there is no law against … Read More

CanFASD would like to introduce two new members to our Board of Directors: Dr. David Brown and Mr. Darren Joslin. David Brown (PhD) is a former Research and Evaluation Director with the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. He has also worked as a research scientist with both BC Mental Health and Addictions Services and with the Department of Family Medicine at … Read More