One baby in the North East is born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder every day.

Newcastle City Council is holding a special event at Grainger Market to mark National Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day.

The public health awareness day is being held in association with Newcastle City Council, the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Lifeline.

There will be a five-hour drop-in event where people can take away leaflets, watch online animations and have informal chats with professionals.

Newcastle City Council is hoping the event will encourage mothers not to drink alcohol during pregnancy.

It’s reported that as many as 7,000 babies a year in the UK are born with symptoms of FASD.

One baby in the North East is born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder every day.

A warning about the dangers of drinking when pregnant on a beer label in Belgium Credit: PA

What is FASD?

  • FASD is a series of birth defects caused by a woman drinking alcohol at any time during her pregnancy, often even before she knows that she is pregnant.

  • The term "Spectrum" is used because each individual with FASD may have some or all of a spectrum of mental and physical challenges ranging from mild to severe:

  • Common problems include:

  • Vision impairment

  • Sleep problems

  • Heart defects

  • Liver problems

  • Poor immune system

  • Speech & language delays

  • Impulsivity

  • Memory problems

  • Hyperactivity

  • Inappropriate social behaviour