Shock drink lessons in the classroom

Dolls that scream and shake are being used to warn schoolchildren of the horrific effects of drink or drugs during pregnancy.

The computerised dolls are programmed to behave like a 28-week-old baby who is undergoing withdrawal symptoms because of drugs or alcohol used by a mother while it was in the womb.

And pupils at Canon Slade School in Bolton were shocked to see how the dolls reacted.

Made in America, the dolls have different physical features. The alcohol-affected doll has extended ears and skull and the drugs baby is thin and trembles periodically.

The school obtained the dolls through the national Mother's Union organisation.

Ian Parkinson, the Applied Science course leader at the Bradshaw school, said: "These babies are actually born physically different, and the drug-addicted doll shakes when it cries."
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The pupils, who have just completed their GCSEs, were originally given normal "virtual babies" to learn about childcare and parenting.

These virtual babies were programmed to demand attention and need feeding and winding. The pupils took them home to experience what parenthood was really like.

Mr Parkinson said the children were then given the drink and drug-affected "virtual babies" during class. Dolls representing different races are used.

"Having these babies really made them think not only about the effects alcohol can have on their own health, but that of the unborn child," he said.

Foetal alcohol syndrome, caused by alcohol from the mother's blood crossing into the womb, is irreversible and is the biggest cause of non-genetic mental handicap in the Western world.

The Canon Slade children also learned that alcohol abuse by both partners can cause permanent physical abnormalities in the baby.

Mr Parkinson said taking part in the project was more beneficial than just earning a Certificate of Personal Effectiveness qualification.

"The course is challenging but it makes young people think about issues," he said. "We also had Alcoholics Anonymous in school and two people talked about being alcoholics and their recovery."

Sophie Hewitt, aged 16, said: "Seeing these two babies was a real eye-opener. It was shocking and scary "Alcohol is legal and is a big part of society and many people do not realise what harm it can cause. The drugs baby was born so thin."

Jade-Lee Smith, aged 16, added: "All young people should be given a chance to see and hold these virtual babies. You learn more this way than reading about it.

"It was quite startling to see the damage alcohol can have. It is scary."

"Virtual babies" have been used in Britain for several years in the campaign to cut down on teenage pregnancy. They were also used during the first series of Big Brother, when contestants had to look after a doll nicknamed "Juanita".

Since then, the dolls have been developed to allow health and education authorities to highlight the difference between healthy babies and those born with addictions.

They were trialled in Cleveland in 2003 and have since been used by several organisations across the UK, including the Fairbridge charity which works with inner-city youngsters.

Bolton News