Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

November 24, 2009

Bueth Ignatova

Special points of interest: Briefly highlight your point of interest here.

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Inside this issue: A Mother’s Worry

1

Statistics About FAS

1

Brain Development

2

Special Education

2

Westbrook Farm

3

A Message for Expectant Mothers

3

Bibliography

4

A Mother’s Worry A mother of a child born with fetal alcohol syndrome speaks publicly to make other expecting mothers aware of what is going to happen to their child if they drink. Pat Krippner of St. Louis had a daughter that was prematurely born and had abnormally low birth weight. As the time passed by it became obvious that the child was developmentally disabled . She started walking and talking significantly later than the everage kids. The child had

smaller head circumference than the normal children, and some toenail abnormalities.(5) Other symptoms often found in kids with FAS are: decreased muscle tone, poor coordination, delayed development in thinking, speech, movement, or social kills,

heart defects, problems with the head and face, including: narrow, small eyes with large epicanthal folds , small head, small upper jaw, smooth groove in upper lip and smooth and thin upper lip.(2)

Statistics about FAS Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the leading preventable disorder. The annual incidence of FAS varries among different populations: for Cauca-

sions it is 0.9 per 10,000 births; for Asians it is only 0.3 while for African Americans and Native Americans is quite high – 6.0 and 29.9 re-

spectively (NWHIC).(2)

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Page 2

Brain Development Although some doctors think it is fine for pregnant women to have occasional drinks research shows that any amount of alcohol is dangerous for the fetus. Depending on the frequency and the amount consumed there is a wide range of severity of damage and it is often referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). An article in the February 11 2000 issue of Science reports that a single

exposure to high levels of ethanol (the alcohol in beer, wine and spirits) can kill nerve cells in the developing brain. The researchers found that the rat brain is sensitive to this toxic effect during a brain development stage that corresponds to the brain growth spurt in humans. This is the time when brain cells form most of their interconnections.

The brain growth spurt lasts from about the sixth month of pregnancy to a child's second birthday. The scientists found that one-time alcohol exposure

According to Dr. Leigh Tenkku, assistant professor and director of research in the department of Family and Community Medicine at St. Louis University School of Medicine, there is no safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy. Any amount of alcohol can cause behavioral, psycological and developmental problems that children never outgrow.

caused increased rate of brain cell death that exceeded the spontaneous rate by almost 30 times in some parts of the brain.(3)

6 week old

6 week old

Normal Brain

FAS Brain

Special Education is needed for kids with fetal alcohol syndrome

Since kids with FAS/FASD have some degree of brain damage they need special education. Math skills are very difficult for these kids. Most of them don’t advance beyond second or third level math. Memory tasks are also a problem especially if information needs to be carried from one day to the other. When teaching these kids it is important to make eye contact (unless this makes them nervous), ruse short instructions and constantly repeat things. The kids with FAS have problems to

express themselves. It is difficult for them to make a decision..

Time management and controlling their emotions (frustration, sadness, and anger) is also a problem for them. They may have difficulty also developing their social skills. Their behavior is unpredictable. Children with FAS/FASD have inconsistant performance at school and most often need individual attention.

A lot of patience and hard work is needed to educate them and help them be independent.

National Organizaion on FAS (NOFAS) offers special education programs for kids with FAS. These programs are well adapted to the needs of these kids. The organization also offers programs for training teachers and administrators how to provide the best service for the affected young individuals and ensure a good quality of life.

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 3

Westbrook farm helps Adults with FAS Life is difficult for adults with FAS. Most of them cannot care for themselves.

In addition, they have impaired social skills. Due to the unpredictable behavior they often get involved in social trouble - dugs., alcohol abuse, violence. Westbrook farm, located west of Duluth, Minnesota, is unique in providing residence for men with FAS and teaching them men how to live independently. The residents start out living in the main farmhouse, where life is highly structured.

They are assigned daily chores. The young men learn how to cook and clean and take care of themselves.

They tend to the farm animals and work in the garden. After they master this life this life style they can graduate to more independent living. The residents set goals in their lives and work for their achievement. Unfortunately, there is a long waiting list to get into Westbrook farm. (1)

Billy Nelson and his friend at Westbrook farm (1)

Westbrook farm is giving confidence to its residents that they never had before joining the farm

A Message for Expectant Mothers Mothers to be, please, remember:

3. The greatest damage of the fetus is caused if the mother drinks in the third trimester of 2. The baby cannot eliminate the the pregnancy because this is the time of the brain developalcohol as fast as the mother.

The alcohol stays longer in the ment. body causing irreversible dam4. You can have a perfectly age. healthy baby if you only avoid alcohol during pregnancy.

1. Whatever you eat and drink the baby eats and rinks it too.

Organization

Bibliography 1. "Adults with fetal alcohol syndrome face huge challenges | Minnesota Public Radio NewsQ." Minnesota Public Radio. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. <http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/ web/2007/11/15/adultfasd/>.

2. "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, birth defects at NOFAS." Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, birth defects at NOFAS. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2009. <http://www.nofas.org/>.

3. Ikonomidou, Chrysanthy. "Ethanol-Iduced Apoptotic Neurodegeneration and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome." Science 11 Feb. 2000: 1056-1060. Print.

4. "Statistics about Fetal alcohol syndrome - WrongDiagnosis.com." Wrong Diagnosis. N.p., n.d.

Web. 24 Nov. 2009. <http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/f/fetal_alcohol_syndrome/stats.htm>.

News. NBC. KSDK, St. Louis. 23 Jan. 2009. Radio.

Resources Resources: National: NOFAS; 4150 Laclede; 314-531-8148; Patty Budler, Director; Protects Children and family by fighting the leading cause of mental retardation; gives information about FAS Local: St. Louis Arc; 1816 Lackland Hill Parkway, Suite 200; 314-817-2247, Julia Schaffer, Program Coordinator; Informational and Prevention Services; work with people to educate them about FAS School (Book): Human Diseases and Conditions by Izenberg; Pages 351-353; gives the basics about the disease.

Website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/index.html