Essay on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

The science behind FAS is quite simple; as it is known that alcohol has a damaging effect on the body, it has similar consequences on the fetus. Since the fetus is constantly developing, the alcohol causes more serious defects to the unborn child. Alcohol exposure to a fetus is known as a teratogen. “Teratogens are substances or conditions that disrupt typical development in offspring as a result of gestational exposure and cause birth defects.” (Wilson & Fraser, 1977). Although the exposure to alcohol causes problems in the fetus, studies have shown that it may not accurately be the alcohol in the mother’s system that causes these defects, rather the byproducts that form when the body metabolizes the alcohol. This can lead to a decrease in brain cells, abnormal location of neurons, and gross malformation to the brain. Since alcohol causes this central nervous system damage, it is classified as a neurobehavioral teratogen, which is a group of teratogens that cause brain damage and modify behaviors. (Riley & Vorhees, 1986). The CNS damage is the primary defect due to alcohol and it is quite common to have these damages without any physical abnormalities. The more alcohol that is consumed the more birth defects that will arise in the

As a result of pregnant women drinking, there have been a profuse amount of children born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Armstrong and Abel confirm that it wasn’t until 1973

The term “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders” (FASDS) is used to describe the numerous problems associated with exposure to alcohol before birth. Each year in the United States, up to 40,000 babies are born with “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders” (FASDs) (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Additionally, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders (FASDs) comes with effects that range from mild to severe. These effects include mental retardation; learning, emotional and behavioral problems; and defects involving the heart, face and other organs. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, the patterns of drinking that place a baby at greatest risk for FASDS are binge drinking and drinking seven or more drinks per week (Surgeon General). However, FASDS can occur in babies of women who drink less. There is no way of measuring how much alcohol one can consume before defects occur, and no proof that small amounts of alcohol are safe. As little as one drink a day can cause a baby some degree of harm and interfere with their normal development.

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

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) refers to a group of physical and mental birth defects resulting from a women’s drinking alcohol heavily or at crucial stages during pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was first named and treated in the late 1960's. This condition results from the toxic effect of alcohol and its chemical factors on the developing fetus. FAS is the leading cause of mental retardation occurring in 1 out of every 750 births. The frequency of FAS occurs about 1.9 times out of every 1000 births according to the latest figures, and minor effects can be seen in up to 20% of pregnancies per year. This number changes drastically for women who are clearly alcoholics. As high as 29 children out of every 1000 births will suffer from FAS

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is an increasing problem in our world today. At least 5,000 infants are born each year with FAS, or about one out of every 750 live births, which is an alarming number. In the United States there has been a significant increase in the rate of infants born with FAS form 1 per 10,000 births in 1979 to 6.7 per 10,000 in 1993 (Chang, Wilikins-Haug, Berman, Goetz 1). In a report, Substance Abuse and the American Woman, sent out by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, at least one of every five pregnant women uses alcohol and/or other drugs during pregnancy (http:/www.nofas.org/stats.htm). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) refers to a group of physical and mental birth defects that are the

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) happens when a woman drinks alcohol throughout pregnancy. When drank, the alcohol enters the mother’s blood stream and passes to the baby through the umbilical cord, so when a woman drinks alcohol, ultimately, so does the developing fetus. There is not a “right” or safe amount of alcohol that can be consumed during a pregnancy or while trying to get pregnant. Alcohol can cause many problems for a developing baby throughout pregnancy, and even before the woman knows that they are pregnant. There are many preventative measures that can be taken to avoid having a child with FAS, the biggest one being for the mother to not drink alcohol throughout the pregnancy and even when trying to get pregnant. Even if the woman

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is characterized by women who continue to drink during pregnancy that give birth to babies with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) . FASD is an umbrella disorder in which many conditions can be a result from consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is classified by pre- and postnatal growth retardation, facial anomalies, and central nervous system dysfunction (Thomas et. al, 1998). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the most recognized condition in the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. It is estimated that 6 per 1,000 live births has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (Coggins, Timler, & Olswang, 2007) and 2,000-12,000 of the 4 million estimated births each year in the United States are likely to have FASD

When a woman is pregnant it is recommended that she does not consume any alcohol. If a woman does consume alcohol during the pregnancy she can cause a disorder called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (Rank, J.). In 1968, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was characterized by P. Lamoine and colleagues form Nantes. They reported their findings in the French pediatric journal but unfortunately it didn’t draw to much attention. Five years later, in 1973, it was characterized again by K.L. Jones and colleagues in Seattle. Unlike the report in 1968 that wasn’t a success, this report in the British medical journal, The Lancet, triggered a great amount of reporters of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (Perlstein, David, MD, FAAP). The disorder is characterized by brain

Many studies have established that a developing organism is susceptible to exogenous and endogenous factors during certain stage of the organism’s development. The effects of ethyl alcohol or ethanol on the developing fetus, which manifest a variety of characteristic abnormalities, are collectively called Fetal alcohol Syndrome. Ethanol exposure to the fetus causes various malformation ranging from the cellular to the organismic levels with the eventual results frequently being different levels of mental retardation (3).

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

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

Consuming alcohol while pregnant can have a considerable life-long impact on the child, but despite this being common knowledge, fetal alcohol syndrome, FASD, continues to be a prevalent cause of developmental delays. Several social and environmental conditions can help predict the likelihood of a woman consuming alcohol while pregnant. Depending on many factors, the severity of the impact varies; however, when a child does have FASD, they face serious lifelong impairments and deficits. There are many interventions that may help children with these impacts. Yet, much more research and time is needed to analyze results.

There are different characteristics that accompany fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS in the different stages of a child's life. "At birth, infants with intrauterine exposure to alcohol frequently have low birth rate; pre-term delivery; a small head circumference; and the characteristic facial features of the eyes, nose, and mouth" (Phelps, 1995). Some of the facial abnormalities that are common of children with FAS are: small head size, small eye openings, broad nasal bridge, flattened mid-faces, thin upper lip, skin folds at the corners of the eyes, indistinct groove on the upper lip, low nasal ridge, and an abnormal smallness of the lower jaw (Wekselman, Spiering, Hetteberg,

FAS constantly encompasses brain damage, impaired growth and head and facial dysmorphic. According to the Center Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) studies 0.2 to 1.5 infants have been identified with FAS for every 1,000 live births in certain areas of the United States. Alcohol can travel from the mother’s blood stream through the placenta to the fetus. Since alcohol flew more slowly in a fetus than in an adult, alcohol levels have tendency to stay high and remain in the fetus body longer. Birth deficiencies related to prenatal exposure to alcohol can happen in the first trimester of pregnancy, often before a woman realizes that she is pregnant. Birth defects from FAS occurred due to the ethanol content of alcohol. Prenatal exposure to