Causes Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alcohol is not the solution; it’s proven that those who consume alcohol have a greater risk to have a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome. Signs and symptoms are different on most babies but may include different physical defects as intellectual or cognitive disabilities and problems coping and functioning with daily life. Distinctive facial features, deformity of joins, vision and hearing problems, poor coordination and valance, poor memory, poor social skills and difficulty planning or working towards a goal are just some of those problems.

“Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications” (HHS, 2005). FASD refers to conditions such as: fetal alcohol syndrome including partial FAS, fetal alcohol effects (FAE), alcohol related neurodevelopment disorder, alcohol-related birth defects. The conditions that are involved with FASD can range from mild to severe and it is not likely that two people share the exact same symptoms.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a series of mental and physical birth defects that can include mental retardation, growth deficiencies, central nervous system dysfunction, craniofacial abnormalities and behavioral maladjustment's. Fetal Alcohol Effect is a less severe set of the same symptoms.

FAS or fetal alcohol syndrome is a severe form of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), and the effects of this condition are usually permanent. There are a wide range of symptoms and these are just a few: a small head, smooth ridge between the upper lip and nose, small and wide-set eyes, very thin upper lip, or other abnormal facial features and below average height and weight. (The Healthline Editorial Team). 2015. Another factor that may affect the fetus and the baby in future development is stress. When you’re stressed, your body goes into "fight or flight" mode, sending out a burst of cortisol and other stress hormones. These are the same hormones that surge when you are in danger. They prepare you to run by sending a blast of fuel to your muscles and making your heart pump faster. (Watson, S). 2013. Some studies show that chronic stress may lead to low birth weight, and this is when you alter your bodies stress management system. And based on what I have read I do feel that lower stress levels outweigh the minor risks of controlled alcohol consumption. This is due to the fact that there have been no studies that directley link moderate alcohol consumption to birth defects. FAS has been linked to mothers who abused alcohol during

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a disorder that develops in a child when a woman drinks alcohol during a pregnancy.2 It is usually characterized by many abnormalities like deficient growth, cognitive dysfunction that usually causes behavioral and mental issues, and a very specific set of facial

A person with fetal alcohol syndrome can be diagnosed at birth based on symptoms and abnormalities. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder along side with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and other related alcohol related developmental problem are “the most common form of developmental disability and birth defects in the western world” (Clarke and Gibbard, 2003). Even with the recognition that alcohol is a contributing factor to birth defects there have been problems with accurate diagnoses.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a collection of conditions that affect the cognitive, physical, and motor development and abilities of children. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is caused by a teratogen, such as alcohol or illicit drugs, crossing through the mother’s blood to the developing fetus (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 201 6). Depending on the amount of the toxin consumed and the period of the pregnancy, FAS has a wide degrees of severity and therefore is considered a spectrum disorder (Plante & Beeson, 2013).

A woman finds out that she is pregnant at twelve weeks; she has been routinely partying and behaving promiscuously. For most women finding out this life changing news would affect their behavior, however; she continues to drink throughout her pregnancy. At thirty four weeks pregnant the woman delivers a four pound baby boy, he is rushed to the NICU with breathing problems and struggles to survive. Fortunately, the baby survives; but he continues to struggle throughout his life, learning slowly and displaying symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome all because his mother was unwilling or unable to stop drinking during her pregnancy. Drinking during pregnancy can cause a miscarriage which is a spontaneous loss of a pregnancy. Alcohol use during pregnancy can result in an infant having a low birth weight. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or FAS is a syndrome that affects a child throughout their life. Expectant mothers should refrain from any alcohol consumption during pregnancy because alcohol use can cause miscarriage, low birth weight or in extreme cases result in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

Whether the mother of a child drank heavily or mildly during her pregnancy, her child can be diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Within FASD, there are three disorders that a child can be diagnosed with: fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), partial fetal alcohol syndrome (p-FAS), or alcohol related neurodevelopment disorder (ARND). The severity of the disorder and what the child will be diagnosed with depends on the severity, duration, frequency of exposure, maternal genetics, the mother’s metabolism, and the timing of the exposure (O’Neil. 2011). FAS is the most severe diagnoses of FASD and is the result of the mother drinking heavily during her pregnancy, with p-FAS being the second and ARND being the least severe. Children born

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is a group of conditions that can occur to an individual whose mother drank during pregnancy. These effects include physical, mental, behavioural or learning disabilities.

Discovered in 1973, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders were recognized from a specific pattern of cardiac, craniofacial, and limb defects between unrelated infants. The one thing the infants all had in common was that they were all born to alcoholic mothers (Bradshaw). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, also referred to as FASD for short, can lead to numerous physical and mental defects and disorders alike. These defects and disorders range from mild to severe, depending on the case. The reason the alcohol effects the fetus like it does, the symptoms to detect it early on, and the types of intervention to help those living with

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) occurs when a woman consumes alcohol during their pregnancy. The birth defects of Fetal alcohol syndrome are mental retardation, and growth problems, mainly of the face of the infant. Studies have shown that human and animal results vary, regarding in utero alcohol exposures across individuals. The varying results depend on many factors, including the amount of alcohol consumed, body mass, genetics, and age of the mother. Extensive research has shown a range of behavioral, common sense, and physical impairments in children exposed to FAS. The ability to learn, language and speech delays, emotional and behavioral problems, and antisocial behavior have also been reported. To note, most studies have been performed

This means that one woman with fewer enzymes could drink less alcohol during her pregnancy, but her fetus could be impacted just as bad-if not worse-than another women with more enzymes that consumed more alcohol. There is no way of determining how much alcohol is “too much” alcohol during a pregnancy (Uscher, Jen). Each year approximately five thousand to twelve thousand babies are born with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Fetal alcohol syndrome is a group of birth defects caused by the mother’s use of alcohol during her pregnancy. These are either physical defects, such as “facial abnormalities”, or central nervous system problems. Fetal alcohol syndrome is one of the leading causes of birth defects in the United States. FAS is the most common cause of preventable mental retardation. Some of the facial abnormalities acquired from this abuse include flattened cheeks, small jaws, small eyes, short noses, or thin upper lips. Central nervous system problems besides mental retardation include hyperactivity, impaired language development, seizures, problems with learning, and delayed development of gross and fine motor skills such as sitting up or holding on to objects. FAS babies may also have a small skull and hearing disorders. Later in life, a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome may experience trouble in school, problems with the law, and difficulty holding a job or living independently ("Fetal Alcohol Syndrome”).

The search for specific maternal risk factors for fetal alcohol syndrome has been researched for more than two decades. The most obvious risk factor for FAS is alcohol. The more alcohol that a mother drinks during pregnancy, the greater the chance of the baby having the abnormalities and symptoms of FAS when born. The baby may be born with abnormalities such as microcephaly, craniofacial defects, and behavioral problems. The abnormalities that the baby is born with is dependent on the amount of alcohol that the mother drinks while pregnant (May et al).

The subject of trying to save children from the debilitating effects of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is a tricky one to say the least. According to the textbook, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) refer to certain defects in children exposed to alcohol during prenatal development. In an article entitled “The long-term neurocognitive consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure: A 14-year study” Streissguth et. al. discuss the notable effects of alcohol exposure on children directly after birth, a few years after, and several years after. Children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and FASD had poor motor skills, noticeable dysmorphic facial features, learning disabilities, and slow/impaired development of social skills (Streissguth, 1999).