Birth Defects are abnormalities which are present at birth; they effect the.
Everybody is born with some kind of imperfection. .
Most are relatively mild, like a birth mark. However, some babies are born with more.
serious birth defects. Not all birth defects are apparent at birth, particularly the ones that.
can cause learning disabilities, certain health problems the child might face as he/she gets.
older, etc. Many different things can cause birth defects. A large portion of birth defects.
are drug related. These are environmental causes of birth defects and range from cocaine,.
to cigarettes, to alcohol, and even to prescription and over the counter drugs. In this.
paper, only a few of these causes, along with their effects, will be addressed.
FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) is one of the leading causes of retardation in babies.
Alcohol is a teterogen, which is a substance that is toxic to the baby's developing brain. .
A baby's brain develops throughout the entire pregnancy, so the baby's brain is always.
vulnerable to damage from alcohol exposure (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Community.
Recourse Center, http://www.come-over.to/FAS/FASbrain.htm) The damage alcohol can.
cause to an unborn baby's brain can cause long-term effects that might not be apparent at.
birth. The following are some of these affects: learning disabilities and/or frustrations.
particularly with math; difficulty mastering new skills; memory deficits; trouble.
retrieving accurate words from memory and may rely on "off-the-wall" comments to.
attempt to communicate; difficulty forming links between behavior and consequence;.
poor predictive skills; poor social skills; impulsivity; may not generalize behaviors from.
day to day, i.e., "don't hit" hits the next day, "don't ride in the street" rides in another.
street.; Hyperactivity; etc. These effects can be seen throughout the life of a person with.
FAS or FAE (fetal alcohol effects).
Some effects that are present at birth are; premature babies, which coincides with.
