When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, it passes through the placenta and goes directly into the fetus’ bloodstream. Therefore, if the mother is drinking alcohol, in essence, so is her baby. While some women drink small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy with no adverse effects, it is recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Surgeon General that all pregnant women refrain completely from drinking alcohol.
Depending upon the amount and duration of alcoholic drinking, a woman can pass a range of birth defects to her unborn baby. The most severe, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, can even cause fetal death.
Characteristics of Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Children born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome will have at least three of these characteristics:
- Growth deficiency throughout child’s lifetime
- Sleep and sucking problems at birth
- Significant, permanent central nervous system damage, especially to the brain, causing a vast variety of neurological disorders
- Facial abnormalities, such as a thin upper lip and small eye openings
- Cognitive and functional disabilities like poor memory, learning disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, poor coordination, impulsive behavior, anger mismanagement, poor judgment and more
- Heart murmur
- Kidney abnormalities
- Joint abnormalities
- Cleft lip or cleft palate
- Webbed neck
- Short neck
- Spina bifida
- Poor fine and gross motor skills
- Low level performance on standardized cognitive tests
- Mental retardation or severely low IQ
- Speech and language delays
- Mental health problems
- Drug addiction
- Lack of social communication (intrudes into conversations, cannot read social cues)
- Trouble with law enforcement
- Inappropriate sexual behavior starting in teens
- Dependence upon group homes or assisted living programs
- Difficulty finding or keeping employment
Approaches to Treating Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
There is no cure for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, but there are many ways in which it can be treated. In addition to confronting FAS’s many physical disabilities, all other problems must be addressed.
A child born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome has a better chance of leading a higher quality life if he:
- lives in a stable, violence-free home
- is diagnosed with FAS at an early age
- attends developmental disability services
- qualifies for high quality medical intervention
- attends special education services
- if behavioral interventions are begun at an early age.
- If the child has an advocate on behalf of their needs
However, not all interventions are successful in the long run. A child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome still runs the risk of living adult life in a group home, suffering from unemployment, becoming involved in alcohol or drugs, or spending time incarcerated.
Preventing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
The only true prevention for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is complete abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy. If a woman is drinking and knows she is pregnant, she can still prevent damage to her unborn fetus by stopping as soon as possible. If she finds it difficult to stop, she should seek help through her physician, Alcoholics Anonymous, or a rehabilitation center. Hopefully, she will have the support of her spouse, family members, and possibly a counselor or clergyman.
The community can also share in preventing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome by organizing community education and support. Health care professionals can be more vigilant about screening mothers for alcohol abuse during prenatal visits. And Fetal Alcohol Syndrome should be made a national problem so mothers everywhere are educated about its effects.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a severe, sometimes fatal disorder caused by a pregnant woman’s abuse of alcohol. The consequences of FAS can be felt for a lifetime, not only for the child who suffers, but for all who know and care for him.
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