Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay - 3817 Words

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal Alcohol Syndrome... is the name given to a group of physical and mental birth defects that are the direct result of a womans drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a series of mental and physical birth defects that can include mental retardation, growth deficiencies, central nervous system dysfunction, craniofacial abnormalities and behavioral maladjustments. Fetal Alcohol Effect is a less severe set of the same symptoms. All communities nationwide, and especially high-risk women in their childbearing years, need better information about the dangers of drinking during pregnancy. But most health care providers are unfamiliar with and untrained in the issues of substance abuse†¦show more content†¦The institutional and medical costs for one child with FAS are $1.4 million over a lifetime. What babies are at risk for FAS and FAE? Whenever a mother drinks, her baby is at risk for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Effect. When a pregnant women drinks alcohol, her baby does too. It is not clear whether there is a threshold amount of alcohol that must be consumed before damage to the baby occurs. There is also no proof that small amounts of alcohol are safe. Is there a cure for FAS? There is no cure for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Once the damage is done, it cannot be undone. However, FAS is the only cause of birth defects that can be completely prevented. How can FAS be prevented? The easiest way for a woman to prevent FAS is to not drink during pregnancy. Communities, schools, and concerned individuals can help to prevent FAS/FAE, through education and intervention. ** According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2.6 million young people do not know that a person can die of an overdose of alcohol.20 Alcohol poisoning occurs when a person drinks a large quantity of alcohol in a short amount of time. ** The amount of alcohol in the bloodstream is called the blood alcohol concentration or BAC. BAC is measured in percentages. For examples, a BAC of 0.10 percent means that a person has 1 part alcohol perShow MoreRelatedFetal Alcohol Syndrome942 Words   |  4 Pages Fetal Alcohol Syndrome According to Seaver, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is birth defects causing learning, and behavioral problems in individuals whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy. This disorder is very serious, yet it is recognized as one of the most preventable. This causes major issues, when something so serious could be prevented but is not. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a problem because it leaves a permanent effect on the unborn child, but some solutions could be educating women andRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome1466 Words   |  6 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome â€Å"If women didn’t drink anymore during pregnancy, there would never be another baby born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Effect† (McCuen 33). This is a very powerful statement. It is also a very simple cure for an alarmingly high birth defect that all women have the power to stop. â€Å"Every year more than 40,000 American children are born with defects because their mother drank alcohol while pregnant â€Å" (McCuen 34). That is 1 to 3 per 1,000 live birthsRead MoreThe Disorder Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome1018 Words   |  5 Pagesthe the disorder Fetal Alcohol Syndrome .This paper will aim to discuss what the disorder is ,it s history how it is diagnosed and the treatment and prevention of this disorder. Taking a sip a int hip Introduction :Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing(Bible-Judges 13:7).It has been known throughout history that the effects of alcohol use in pregnancyRead MoreEssay on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome1390 Words   |  6 Pageslead to many severe abnormalities in the growing fetus. More specifically, a disorder that will be explored in this essay is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS); caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Since the alcohol is consumed in such a developing stage of the fetus, it can potentially cause many different complications in the unborn child. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome could easily be prevented with more awareness to the issue and its defining characteristics, how it affects the fetus during growthRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1707 Words   |  7 Pagesof prenatal alcohol exposure (Lupton, 2003). This number will only continue to grow if the risk of drinking alcohol while pregnant i s not brought to the people’s attention. When the mother takes a drink of alcohol, so does the fetus, which will cause physical and behavioral problems after birth. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is completely preventable and irreversible. FAS awareness and prevention is important; expectant mothers need to know the background information about the syndrome, some commonRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1699 Words   |  7 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a condition affecting children born to women who drink heavily during pregnancy. There are three criteria used to describe the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and to make a diagnosis of FAS. The first of these is a pattern of facial anomalies, these features include: #61558; Small eye openings #61558; Flat cheekbones #61558; Flattened groove between nose and upper lip #61558; Thin upper lip These characteristicsRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1096 Words   |  5 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a mental and physical birth defect. It occurs when a pregnant women consumes high levels of alcohol during her pregnancy. The effects of FAS can be traumatic in some cases, and in others children were slightly affected by exposure to alcohol. FAS has a wide range of effects on the fetus and infant, retarded growth, under developed facial features, slow cognitive development, and many more. The evidence of cases is overwhelming, yet in some societies it is still anRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1522 Words   |  7 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a disorder that can happen to children whose mothers drank sufficient amounts of alcohol sometime throughout their pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a condition classified in a group called Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and is the most known and severe of the group. FAS, depending on the factors such as location, population and race studied is considered one of the leading known causes of mental retardation and birth defects, with 0.2 – 1.5 out of every 1Read MoreEssay on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome2703 Words   |  11 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of mental, physical, and behavioral defects that may develop in the unborn child when its mother drinks during pregnancy. These defects occur primarily during the first trimester when the teratogenic effects of the alcohol have the greatest effect on the developing organs. The symptoms associated with FAS have been observed for many centuries, but it was not until 1968 that Lemoine and his associates formally described theseRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1100 Words   |  5 Pagesyou want your child to have FAS? Read on and I believe you will come to the same conclusion as I have about FAS. FAS doesn’t sound so bad, but in reality it is. FAS means Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. FAS is a combination of physical and mental defects first evident at a baby’s birth. FAS is a direct result of a woman drinking alcohol during pregnancy. These defects continue through out the child’s life. One in five hundred children are born with FAS. Your baby is at risk no matter how much liquor you