Third FAS Symposium in the Netherlands

The effects of prenatal alcohol exposure are little known in the Netherlands. In order to focus more attention on this problem, the Gelre Hospital system, which hosts the only FAS polyclinic in the Netherlands, and the FAS Foundation of the Netherlands organized the Third FAS Symposium in the Netherlands.

Both Dutch and international speakers gave presentations, describing the physical, cognitive and socio-emotional effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and will present strategies to improve the outcome for these children.

The symposium was targeted to pediatricians, general practitioners, child and youth psychiatrists, psychologists, gynecologists, clinical geneticists, social workers, drug and alcohol addiction workers, midwives, speech therapists, physical therapists, special education teachers, youth social workers, foster care and adoption workers and parents of children with FASD. Over 200 delegates attended the event.

Programme:

Plenary Sessions

Day chairperson: Dianne Wesselink, special education consultant/health services psychologist, Gelre Hospitals, Zutphen

Welcome by Maarten Imkamp, board of directors, Gelre Hospitals

FASD: From Discovery to prevention

Susan Astley, PhD, professor of Epidemiology, University of Washington

Fetal alcohol syndrome in pediatric practice in the Netherlands: Results of the Dutch signalling study 2007 – 2008 Hester van Wieringen, pediatrician Mesos Medical Center, Nieuwegein and Utrecht

The new FAS clinic in Zutphen: The first data

Rudi Kohl, pediatrician, Gelre hospitals, Zutphen

Neuronal dysfunction in fetal alcohol syndrome: what can we learn from the cerebellum

Laurent Servais, MD, PhD, Institut de myologie, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpétrière, Paris

Workshops

FASD 4-digit diagnostic code

Susan Astley, PhD, professor of Epidemiology, University of Washington

Guiding sexual development in young people with FAS

Jan de Vries, child and youth psychologist, health services psychologist, Leeuwarden

Behavioral problems and developmental risks after prenatal alcohol exposure

Inge van Balkom, child and youth psychiatrist, director youth mental health service, Lentis Jonx

Drinking mothers: how can social services help during pregnancy?

Rianca den Ouden, senior prevention worker KVO, Tactus Addiction Care Center, Enschede

The child central; safety first

Paulien Harmelink, Netherlands Youth Institute, Zutphen

What can child abuse services do for the child with FAS?

Alice Schutte, physician, Government office for reporting of child abuse and neglect, Gelderland

How to help the child with FASD develop the underlying cognitive skills he/she needs in order to be successful in school

Elles Taddeo, Ed.D., Emory Univ. School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences

Paramedical: Motor learning

Henny Peters, pediatric physiotherapist, Gelre Hospitals, Zutphen

How the speech therapist can help children with developmental disorders

Simone Duits, speech and pre-speach therapist, Gorssel and Warnsveld

Sensory Integration

Mijke Mommers, cesartherapeut, Zutphen