Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a serious, lifelong disorder that is caused by a mother consuming alcohol during pregnancy. FAS affects the development of the unborn fetus and can cause physical, behavioral, and cognitive problems in affected infants. The effects of FAS can be devastating for both the mother and her unborn child.The physical effects of FAS can include abnormal facial features, such as a small head size and an abnormally thin upper lip. Affected infants may also have growth deficiencies throughout their life, including being shorter than average height or having smaller than average heads. They may also experience vision or hearing problems due to defects in the brain’s development caused by alcohol exposure in utero. Additionally, these children often display poor motor coordination and difficulty with balance control as well as learning disabilities due to central nervous system damage caused by their exposure to alcohol while in utero. Behavioral difficulties are also common among individuals with FAS: they may have difficulty controlling emotions or displaying appropriate behavior in social situations; they may have difficulty concentrating or paying attention which leads to poor academic performance; impulsivity is common; they often demonstrate aggression; and they frequently experience difficulty understanding consequences for their actions or following directions. In addition to physical and behavioral difficulties, FAS can cause cognitive impairments such as poor memory function, poor problem-solving skills, impaired language development (including delayed speech), decreased IQ scores compared to same age peers without FAS diagnosis;and deficits in certain areas of executive functioning such as planning ahead or organizing tasks effectively. All of these issues make it difficult for those affected by Fetal Alcohol Syndrome to reach their full potential academically, socially and emotionally. Fortunately there are steps parents can take now to help prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome from occurring: abstaining from alcohol use during pregnancy is recommended but if a woman has consumed alcohol before she knows she is pregnant then getting proper medical care immediately is essential so that any damage done by the alcohol consumption can be minimized through treatments like nutritional therapy and medication management if necessary. Additionally providing support services throughout childhood such as special education services , therapy , counseling etc will help ensure these children reach their full potential despite having been diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.