01433nas a2200181   4500000000100000008004100001100002200042700001900064700001500083700001500098700001700113245003100130250001500161300001000176490000700186520101200193020004601205       2012                            d1 aFitzpatrick James1 aCarter Maureen1 aOscar June1 aElliott E.1 aLatimer Jane00aThere's hope in the valley  a2012/03/16  a190-20 v483 a<p>
Aboriginal women in the remote Fitzroy Valley region in Western Australia's Kimberley were concerned about high rates of alcohol use in pregnancy and its possible impact on child development. They successfully lobbied for restricted access to alcohol in 2007. In 2009 they developed a strategy for the diagnosis and prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and the support of parents and carers of affected children. Aboriginal organisations then partnered with research and clinical groups from Sydney to conduct a FASD prevalence study. This commenced in 2010 following extensive community consultation and receipt of community consent. Data from this study are still being collected and will be used by the community to advocate for improved services and new models of health care. Prevention of FASD is important to optimise health and development for future generations of Aboriginal children and to ensure the transfer of culture and language from one generation to the next.
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