Dromore mum: 'Drinking while pregnant more harmful than cocaine'

A County Down woman whose adopted sons suffer from Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder has pleaded with mums-to-be not to drink.

Alison McNamara who lives in Dromore says her two boys Reece and Jordan have an 'invisible disability' and is working to raise awareness of the impact of drinking while pregnant.

Alison who was born in Liverpool, set up the only support group in Northern Ireland after moving here and struggling to find help.

Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is the name given to several different conditions linked with prenatal exposure to alcohol.

Drinking while pregnant can result in mental and physical problems in the baby, as alcohol in the mother's blood passes to the foetus through the placenta.

Alison told Downtown Cool FM how it has affected her boys:

"Alcohol does more damage to the foetus than cocaine, smoking, any other drug."

"Reece has got food issues where he won't eat anything with bits in.

"Short term memory- they haven't got anything, bless them, they forget.

"My littlest son can forget what he's talking about halfway through and then get really frustrated because he can't get his point across and I have to try and get it.

"My eldest son - by the time he's got to the top of the stairs, he's forgotten what he's gone for."

As today marks World Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder day, Alison and her husband Brian are urging the public to 'rock red socks' to help raise awareness and support for families and children affected.

And she also revealed Ireland has topped the list in recent years for the number of women who continue to drink while preganant:

"There's 60.4% of women in Ireland as an island that drink alcohol while they're pregnant.

"We're not against alcohol but we're here to say what can happen if you drink when you're pregnant.

"Alcohol does more damage to the foetus than cocaine, smoking, any other drug."

You can see more information about Alison's support group here