Statewide campaign launched to combat fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The South Carolina Dept. of Social Services (SCDSS) and the South Carolina Dept. of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) are partnering to launch a statewide campaign to combat Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs).

FASDs are a group of irreversible conditions that can occur in a person who was exposed to alcohol before birth.

Governor Henry McMaster declared September FASDs Awareness Month so SCDSS and DAODAS have launched the “Don’t Risk It” campaign.

Officials say the purpose of the campaign is to educate and provide resources for pregnant women, families, medical providers and others about the dangers of prenatal alcohol consumption.

“Alcohol, like carbon monoxide from cigarettes, passes easily through the placenta from the mother’s bloodstream into her baby’s blood during pregnancy,” said DAODAS Director Sara Goldsby. “So every time a pregnant woman has a drink of alcohol, her unborn child has one too. It is crucial for all women to understand that FASDs are 100% preventable and 0% curable.”

Community-based organizations will receive flyers about FASDs that address common myths about drinking while pregnant.

“No person should go through lifelong conditions because of prenatal alcohol exposure as it can be prevented during pregnancy,” says DSS State Director Michael Leach. “Through this collaborative partnership with DAODAS, it is our goal to not only shed light on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders but to bring us one step closer to preventing them.”

The campaign’s website also has information on FASDs.

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