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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'Alcohol damaged my adopted child' | 'Alcohol damaged my adopted child' |
| (3 days later) | |
| By Jane Elliott Health reporter, BBC News Government advisers recommend no drinking during pregnancyWhen Julia Brown adopted, she was aware that her new baby daughter had problems. | By Jane Elliott Health reporter, BBC News Government advisers recommend no drinking during pregnancyWhen Julia Brown adopted, she was aware that her new baby daughter had problems. |
| For several years medics went through possible diagnoses. | For several years medics went through possible diagnoses. |
| The suggestions included autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyspraxia - a movement disorder. | The suggestions included autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyspraxia - a movement disorder. |
| "Her diagnosis ran to two or three lines. It was always 'she has this with this'," said Julia. | "Her diagnosis ran to two or three lines. It was always 'she has this with this'," said Julia. |
| Brain damaged | Brain damaged |
| It wasn't until her daughter was five or six that doctors established that she had in fact been brain-damaged in the womb by her natural mother's drinking, and she was diagnosed with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). | |
| Julia has come to terms with her daughter's disabilities, but says the early years without an accurate diagnosis made things difficult. Alcohol misuse in pregnancy causes a hidden, but very real disability in the affected child Community paediatrician Mary Mather | Julia has come to terms with her daughter's disabilities, but says the early years without an accurate diagnosis made things difficult. Alcohol misuse in pregnancy causes a hidden, but very real disability in the affected child Community paediatrician Mary Mather |
| "We knew that we were adopting a child with some sort of difficulties, but we had no-one to compare her with," she said. | "We knew that we were adopting a child with some sort of difficulties, but we had no-one to compare her with," she said. |
| "Then, when she went to nursery, we noticed that she had poor balance, poor spatial awareness and inattention. | "Then, when she went to nursery, we noticed that she had poor balance, poor spatial awareness and inattention. |
| "We had very little support and very little awareness of it - we had to put two and two together. | "We had very little support and very little awareness of it - we had to put two and two together. |
| "Her mother was not an alcoholic, but we knew that she had had alcohol during the pregnancy." | "Her mother was not an alcoholic, but we knew that she had had alcohol during the pregnancy." |
| However Julia, who lives in Oxfordshire, has no way of knowing how much she drank. | However Julia, who lives in Oxfordshire, has no way of knowing how much she drank. |
| Support centre | Support centre |
| Her daughter is now nine, but is at the same developmental stage as the average four-year-old. | Her daughter is now nine, but is at the same developmental stage as the average four-year-old. |
| She has a catalogue of health problems relating to the womb damage, including a squint, repeated ear infections and poorly developed teeth, and finds tasks such as doing up buttons very difficult. | She has a catalogue of health problems relating to the womb damage, including a squint, repeated ear infections and poorly developed teeth, and finds tasks such as doing up buttons very difficult. |
| The girl has no sense of danger and a lack of impulse control, meaning that if she wants something she takes it.Julia knew her adopted daughter had problems | The girl has no sense of danger and a lack of impulse control, meaning that if she wants something she takes it.Julia knew her adopted daughter had problems |
| Now the UK's first centre has opened in London to support children who were affected in the womb by their mother's drinking. | Now the UK's first centre has opened in London to support children who were affected in the womb by their mother's drinking. |
| Its aim is to research and establish the needs of the 7,000 such children living in the UK. | Its aim is to research and establish the needs of the 7,000 such children living in the UK. |
| Parents for Children (PfC) is the only adoption charity in England dedicated to finding homes for children with disabilities, including those with FASD. | Parents for Children (PfC) is the only adoption charity in England dedicated to finding homes for children with disabilities, including those with FASD. |
| It set up the centre in response to the growing number of children affected by alcohol in the womb, who are being put up for fostering and adoption. | It set up the centre in response to the growing number of children affected by alcohol in the womb, who are being put up for fostering and adoption. |
| Some local authorities are reporting that up to 70% of children with a disability who need adoptive families have drugs and alcohol in their background. | Some local authorities are reporting that up to 70% of children with a disability who need adoptive families have drugs and alcohol in their background. |
| Once children have been assessed, they and their families can be offered a package of care, support and advice, tailored to their needs, to help the child reach their full potential. | Once children have been assessed, they and their families can be offered a package of care, support and advice, tailored to their needs, to help the child reach their full potential. |
| Dr Eddie Brocklesby, director of PfC, said there needed to be better awareness of FASD. | Dr Eddie Brocklesby, director of PfC, said there needed to be better awareness of FASD. |
| "Courts, social workers, teachers, health experts and prospective adoptive parents are making decisions about these children's future, without realising the full implications FASD can have on their long-term development," he said. | "Courts, social workers, teachers, health experts and prospective adoptive parents are making decisions about these children's future, without realising the full implications FASD can have on their long-term development," he said. |
| "As FASD is so little recognised, it makes it difficult for parents and teachers to understand these children's needs. Our centre hopes to help redress this." | "As FASD is so little recognised, it makes it difficult for parents and teachers to understand these children's needs. Our centre hopes to help redress this." |
| Tell-tale signs | Tell-tale signs |
| Mary Mather, a community paediatrician who works for the centre, said it was often very difficult to tell at the time of adoption which children might be affected. | Mary Mather, a community paediatrician who works for the centre, said it was often very difficult to tell at the time of adoption which children might be affected. |
| "Alcohol misuse in pregnancy causes a hidden, but very real disability in the affected child," she said. | "Alcohol misuse in pregnancy causes a hidden, but very real disability in the affected child," she said. |
| "The child may not have the facial features which allow the problem to be recognised and diagnosed. | "The child may not have the facial features which allow the problem to be recognised and diagnosed. |
| "These features - smaller eyes, flatter cheeks and a less well developed groove between the nose and lip - only occur if alcohol is misused when the face is forming at the start of pregnancy." | "These features - smaller eyes, flatter cheeks and a less well developed groove between the nose and lip - only occur if alcohol is misused when the face is forming at the start of pregnancy." |
| But she said the damage, which can cause very severe emotional and behavioural problems, can occur at any stage in the pregnancy. | But she said the damage, which can cause very severe emotional and behavioural problems, can occur at any stage in the pregnancy. |
| She said large amounts of alcohol had been known to have serious effects, but that it was not known whether there was a "safe" level. She said the only advice could be not to drink alcohol at all. | She said large amounts of alcohol had been known to have serious effects, but that it was not known whether there was a "safe" level. She said the only advice could be not to drink alcohol at all. |
| "If you don't drink, there is absolutely no risk." | "If you don't drink, there is absolutely no risk." |
| Recent government advice says pregnant women and those trying for a baby should avoid alcohol completely. | Recent government advice says pregnant women and those trying for a baby should avoid alcohol completely. |
| The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says there is no evidence that a couple of units once or twice a week will do any harm to the baby, although it agrees abstinence is the safest course. | The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says there is no evidence that a couple of units once or twice a week will do any harm to the baby, although it agrees abstinence is the safest course. |