F.A.S
Alcohol (wine, beer, or liquor) is the leading known preventable cause of mental and physical birth defects in the United States.
When a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, she risks giving birth to a child who will pay the price - in mental and physical deficiencies - for the rest of his or her entire life.
Yet many pregnant women do drink alcohol, and it's estimated that one in every 750 infants is born with a pattern of physical, developmental, and functional problems referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) each year in the United States. Another 40,000 children are born with fetal alcohol effects (FAE) each year.
If you have adopted your child, there are signs you can recognize that may indicate fetal alcohol syndrome. Or if you have consumed alcohol during pregnancy and are concerned that your child may have FAS, there are some signs that you can look for.
Signs and Symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Characteristics of children with FAS include:
low birth weight
small head circumference
failure to thrive
developmental delay
organ dysfunction
facial abnormalities, including smaller eye openings, flattened cheekbones, and indistinct philtrum (an underdeveloped groove between the nose and the upper lip)
epilepsy
poor coordination/fine motor skills
poor socialization skills, such as difficulty building and maintaining friendships and relating to groups
lack of imagination or curiosity
learning difficulties, including poor memory, inability to understand concepts such as time and money, poor language comprehension, poor problem-solving skills
behavioral problems, including hyperactivity, inability to concentrate, social withdrawal, stubbornness, impulsiveness, and anxiety
Children with FAE display the same symptoms, but to a lesser degree, and are less likely to have mental...
Please login to view the full essay...