Definition and Terms of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was an interesting topic for me because I ran into an account of this while I was working at a restaurant in Fayetteville, and because I am pregnant. I wondered what abnormalities the baby would experience and if it was against the law in North Carolina to drink while pregnant or to knowingly serve a pregnant woman alcohol. Researching this topic I found a lot of basic definitions for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). The one I liked the best I found at the website for The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) http://www.nofas.org/main/what_is_FAS.htm. NOFAS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating birth defects caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy and improving the quality of life for the individuals and families of the individuals affected. NOFAS is the only organization in the US to focus solely on FAS. According to this site "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a lifelong yet completely preventable set of physical, mental and neurobehavioral birth defects associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy." Also included with this definition were the definitions of terms that I would run into during my research, such as Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder which describes only mental or functional impairments and Alcohol-Related Birth Defects which describes malformations to the skeletal and major organ systems. This web site also told me the major characteristics of FAS which included facial abnormalities, growth deficiency, central nervous system dysfunction, poor motor skills, behavioral and learning problems, difficulties with memory, attention and judgment. In addition to the wonderful explanations of this syndrome it also provided links to free on-line publications and links to topics related to FAS.
Statistics related to FAS.
Every website I visited had some sort of statistical related information.
He and his brother are foster children, both have been diagnosed with FAS. ... FAS affects many different parts of the brain and body. ... The precise site of damage that causes ADHD in FAS sufferers is not known. ... FAS children have poor judgment and a lack of understanding consequences. ... The extent of the damage to the hippocampus of those who have FAS varies. ...
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most recognizable form of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). ... Those born with FAS often have behavioral and learning difficulties. ... Facial characteristics are the most notable in FAS. ... Most individuals with FAS have trouble living independently, however some can live "interdependently." ... Many people with FAS have normal IQs and do not qualify. ...
FAS is widely misdiagnosed and or under diagnosed. ... FAS is, however, 100% preventable when a woman abstains from alcohol. FAS is the leading known cause of mental retardation. Approximately, one out of 750 live birth are born each year with FAS. ... FAS is not limited to any one group, race, culture, or socio-economic background. ...
FAS is characterized by distinctly abnormal facial features and central nervous system problems. People who suffer from FAS may either have problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication with others, vision, and/or hearing. ... FAS affects every aspect of an individual's life and the lives of the people around them. The one and only cause of FAS is women who drink during their pregnancy. ... Paul Lemoine created the first description of what FAS really was. ...
If a woman drinks alcohol during her pregnancy, her baby can be born with FAS. FAS is a combination of mental and physical defects. ... Fetal death is the most extreme outcome of FAS. ... A baby with FAS may have small body size and weight. A baby with FAS may be born as small as five pounds. ...
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the leading cause of retardation. ... FAS birth effects include facial abnormalities, growth deficiency, or brain damage. FAS children need guidance because they are easily distracted and forgetful. FAS does not go away because brain damage and birth defects are permanent. ... All of these problems associated with FAS and drug abuse are permanent. ...
( FAS) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome FAS is the mental and physical defects of a baby at birth. ... A child with FAS requires more care than a child who doesn't have FAS. ... Caring for a child with FAS is very expensive also. ... Recent researchers found FAS to only affect alcoholics. ... FAS will remain in the back of my mind. ...
Purpose If women didn't drink alcohol during pregnancy, there would never be another baby born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). ... Abnormal facial features are the second indication that a child may have FAS. ... Studies of incidence of children born FAS tend to be difficult to conduct. ... There were 132 cases of FAS in N.D. ... The study also mentioned that nearly one-third of children born with FAS are raised in foster homes. ...