Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Effects of Alcohol When Pregnant Amy E. Wellman Grace Homeschool
Wellman 1
A pregnant woman’s lifestyle ultimately affects the development of her baby. Drinking alcohol when you are pregnant has been shown to cause harm towards the unborn baby as it develops in the mother’s womb. Mothers who drink alcohol while pregnant have a higher risk of their baby having long-term
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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is one of the most common alcoholic disorders, but is the only one that is one hundred percent preventable. Unfortunately, the effects of FAS are unchangeable and last a lifetime. The effect of FAS in children include special needs, deformities of the skeletal system and major organ systems, especially the brain and the heart, constrained growth, Central Nervous System problems, poor motor skills, and difficulty with learning, memory, social interaction, attention span, problem solving, and speech and/or hearing. There are also facial features that are characteristics of FAS. Some of these include small eyes, short or upturned nose, flat cheeks, and thin lips. Although these facial features do fade as the child grows, there are numerous other difficulties to …show more content…
Also, if your doctor knows to look for FASD- related problems while you are pregnant, he or she can keep an eye on your baby’s health before and after birth. Your doctor will also know to do more tests, if he or she sees needed, as your child grows. The signs of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder don’t always appear at birth. A doctor might be able to point out severe alcohol effects in the child at birth, but, less severe effects, for example learning and/or behavior problems, may not be noticed until the child is in school. According to emedicinehealth, “Sometimes the doctor can find severe problems before the baby is born. If your doctor knows about your alcohol use, he or she can order a test (ultrasound) to look for signs of FAS in your baby, such as heart defects or growth delays. The cause of problems that are found during the test may not be clear. But the findings alert the doctor to any special care a baby may need after he or she is
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.
According to Seaver, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is birth defects causing learning, and behavioral problems in individuals whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy. This disorder is very serious, yet it is recognized as one of the most preventable. This causes major issues, when something so serious could be prevented but is not. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a problem because it leaves a permanent effect on the unborn child, but some solutions could be educating women and putting up more informational posters and warning labels on products.
FAS is defined as a medical diagnosis involving four key features: alcohol exposure, growth deficiently, certain facial features, and brain damage. Infants who have been exposed to prenatal alcohol rarely show all symptoms of the medical condition FAS. Other terms have been used to describe the implication involved with FAS. Frequently used terms are: Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol-related Neurodevelopmental Disorder and Alcohol-related Birth Defects. A child with Partial Fetal Alcohol syndrome exhibits only some of the physical signs of FAS and will likely have both learning and behavioral difficulties. A child suffering from Alcohol-related Neurodevelopmental Disorder will demonstrate signs of neural damage, problems with memory, poor social skills, and learning difficulties. Children diagnosed with
333). Clearly the incidence of this syndrome could be greatly reduced, and possibly prevented, through education on the topic. This paper will present the metabolic basis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, the pathogenic basis for brain and facial anomalies associated with FAS, and the effects of maternal alcohol consumption on the immune system. Characteristics of diagnosing FAS will follow the discussion of those factors causing the symptoms of this disease.
attaining fetal alcohol syndrome from its mother. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of
Among factors to consider, alcohol consumption is frequently associated with drug abuse, smoking, and malnutrition. All of these factors can cause serious harm to the developing embryo of a child. It is difficult for researchers to decide which effects are caused by alcohol alone.
The best was to prevent Fetal alcohol syndrome is to stay away from any alcohol. Some symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome is low birth weight, small head circumferences, failure to thrive, developmental delay, organ dysfunction, epilepsy, poor coordination, poor socialization skills, a lack of imagination or curiosity, learning difficulties, behavioral problems, and facial abnormalities: smaller eye openings, flattened cheekbones, and instinct philtrum.
The effects of excessive alcohol consumption has been proven to have had negative and persistent effects on babies, born from mothers who have consumed alcohol throughout their pregnancy, evidence linking that low to moderate amounts have put the fetus at risk for delays and have lifelong complications. (Nathanson, & O'Brien, 2000)
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) was found, named and treated in the late 1960’s. The term “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome” is used to describe a lifelong set of physical, mental and neurobehavioral birth defects associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
FAS, also known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Is a condition the occurs in a female's off spring when the mother drinks alcohol during any time during her pregnancy. What happens is that the baby absorbs the alcohol through the mother's placenta. There the alcohol can enter the fetus blood stream slowing poisoning the fetus. FAS can lead behavioral problems, speech problems, facial deformities, as well as learning problems.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS, hereinafter), is a series of both mental and physical birth defects that can include, but are not limited to, mental retardation, deficiencies in growth, central nervous system dysfunction, behavioral maladjustments, and craniofacial
Fetal alcohol syndrome- It is frightening to know that doctors used to tell their patients that it was ok to drink a glass of wine when pregnant this is a big NO, even a sip can cause FAS. What is FAS? This is when a mother who is pregnant drinks alcohol and it reaches the fetus cause adverse birth defects. When ethanol (alcohol) is drank, it is met by enzymes who break down the substance, women have less of ADH then men making alcohol very dangerous for women just in general. Therefore when a women drinks even the littles drop it is hurting the baby in more ways than one and that one drop can cause FAS. When a drug like alcohol breaks thru the placenta barrier into the fetus there called teratogens (this is what causes the birth defect).
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a severe and pervasive health problem characterized by negative physical, social, emotional, behavioral, learning disabilities and neurological effects affecting newborns daily. FASD is 100% avoidable since it transpires as a result of alcohol consumption by women during pregnancy. It was first discovered by physicians dating back to the 1700’s, researchers over the years have been able to establish specific guidelines and criteria for diagnosing the disorder, which is often confused with autism or attention deficit disorder. Babies born to mothers that drank during pregnancy have facial abnormalities including: flat upper lip, flattened philtrum, and a flat midface, combined with structural brain
Ideally, the best prevention for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is prevention, however women who are consuming alcohol during pregnancy may be less inclined to seek prenatal care, making it difficult to help them reduce and stop their alcohol consumption, which would prevent the occurrence of FASD and FAS. Since this is the case, FASD and FAS must be treated, rather than prevented. Like most therapeutic interventions, individuals with FASD and FAS are best treated early in life, therefore most interventions are aimed at treating children and adolescents. According to O’Connor and Paley (2009), there is extensive research that has documented significant cognitive, behavioral, adaptive, social, and emotional dysfunctions in people
Some of birth defects and development disabilities are caused by parental exposure to alcohol. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a group of terms that can provide the concept of the effects that may occur in a newborn baby whose mother was drinking alcohol during her pregnancy such as mental, physical, behavioral, and cognitive effects. FASD was first described in 1973 in the United State of America by Jones and Smith, it was defined at that time as a ‘tragic disorder’. For every 1,000 live births in certain areas of the United States there is about 0.2 to 1.5 infants with FASD. Although FASD is incurable disorder, understanding the nature of the disease, avoiding triggers, and getting an