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| Physicians treating - FAS |
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| FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME... |
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| Causing a child to suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is really nothing short of child abuse and it lasts for life. |
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FAS is a pattern of physical, neurologic and behavioral birth
defects caused solely by exposure to alcohol during pregnancy. The major components of FAS include: |
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| facial abnormalities: |
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a
characteristic pattern of facial abnormalities that includessmall eye openings, thin upper lip, short upturned nose, sunken nose bridge, low-set or poorly formed ears, drooping eyelids, flat or absent groove between nose and upper lip, etc... |
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| growth
deficiencies: |
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low birth weight, small for age height/weight; brain damage that can include small skull, structural
defects in the brain, poor hand/eye coordination, abnormal joins and limbs |
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| numerous other health problems: |
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| and the list of other possible FAS symptoms that can affect the child's life are many: |
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heart murmurs, genital malformations, learning disabilities, short memories, mental retardation -- usually mild to moderate but occasionally severe, deformed ribs and sternum, curved spine, hip dislocations, limited movement of joints, etc... |
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| Maternal alcohol use may or may not be able to be confirmed;
however, if all other symptoms are present, FAS can be diagnosed without confirmed maternal alcohol use. These effects |
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are permanent, and are not curable, even if diagnosed early.
Children with FAS/FASD have lifelong problems, and may struggle at school and work. Affected adults may need
supervised living and employment. FAS occurs in 1-2 of every 1000 live births: more commonly than spina bifida, Down syndrome and autism |
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| Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder... |
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| For every individual with FAS, it is estimated that there are any additional 3 children that do not have the physical characteristics of FAS, but have neurologic and behavioral problems that stem from alcohol exposure during pregnancy. These individuals have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or FASD. It is estimated that there are 40,000 babies born each year with FASD. |
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| The only cause of FAS/FASD is maternal alcohol use during pregnancy. When a pregnant women drinks alcohol, it crosses the placenta, circulates in the fetal circulation and affects developing fetal tissues. The best advice for pregnant women is no alcohol use of any kind at any time during pregnancy. Even small amounts of alcohol use in early pregnancy have been shown to cause FASD |
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| FAS is the leading known cause of preventable mental retardation in the US. Diagnosis can be very difficult, and often requires a team of individuals that includes a physician—usually a specialist in genetics and birth defects, as well as a psychologist, speech therapist, social worker and parent support/advocate. The Missouri Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Center is located in Columbia, Missouri. |
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| Prevention of FAS/FASD is critical. There is no safe level of alcohol use or safe time to use alcohol in pregnancy. There is no safe type of alcohol during pregnancy, including wine, wine coolers, or beer. In short: if you’re pregnant, don’t drink, and if you drink, don’t get pregnant. The affects of alcohol of a baby are permanent. |
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Resources and information: |
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