What is FAS and FASD? What is a child's perspective of FASD? What are the characteristics? What is the best intervention and prevention?
The risks of fetal alcohol exposure creates a disability for life that is preventable. According to the CDC, Fetal Alcohol Syndrom (FAS), affects nearly two per 1,000 live births in the U.S., each year. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), are believed to occur approximately three times as often as FAS.
What is FAS and FASD?
FAS and FASD are caused by fetal alcohol exposure. Prenatal exposure to alcohol causes behavioral, mental, physical, and neurological damage that remains as a life long disability. FAS is the most severe form of prenatal exposure, while FASD may exhibit only some of the characteristics to prenatal alcohol exposure. FAS and FASD are life long disabilitiesthat affect the child as well as the family.
What is the child's perspective of having FAS / FASD?
Children afflicted with FASD are often affected emotionally, mentally, and socially. They often have learning disabilities which affect their performance in school. They are often developmentally delayed, which can lead to a poor self-esteem when around other peers their age. "I can't remember things, I forget things," reported a child with FASD who has difficulty with memory retention. "I feel stupid sometimes, because I can't remember."
What are the characteristics of FAS / FASD?
FAS and FASD are characterized by physical abnormalities, developmental delays, learning disabilities, and the following:
- low birth weight and slower physical growth in relation to other peers
- facial abnormalities, such as an indistinct philtrum (an underdeveloped groove between the nose and upper lip). Smaller eye openings and cheekbones.
- Developmental delays with large and fine motor skills.
- Learning disabilities and delays in speech, language skills, mathematical skills, memory retention, poor logical and reasoning skills
- Poor social skills
- Behavioral problems
Prevention:
The Surgeon General warns all women of child-bearing age of the importance of not drinking, especially for those who are pregnant. There is no safe limit for alcohol. Those who are considering becoming pregnant should also be cautioned. Surprisingly enough, this birth defect can happen in the early weeks of pregnancy, before a woman even realizes that she is pregnant. If a woman has consumed alcohol during any part of her pregnancy, she should stop immediately to minimize further risk to the unborn fetus. If this is proving difficult, she should contact her health care provider for help with intervention services to help her with adopting healthy choices.
Intervention:
Children with FASD can thrive in loving, nurturing homes. Early diagnosis enables a child to begin early intervention services, such as physical therapy and / or assistance in appropriate educational programs, or initiating Individual Educational Plans (IEP's). This will enable the child to progress towards success. Early intervention can be incorporated as early as infancy, and is ongoing. When early intervention is incorporated, the child learns that he can succeed and this will encourage the child's self-esteem. If you suspect that your child may have FASD, contact your child's pediatrician who can make a referral to a pediatric geneticist to assist in assessment.
