In 1968 Dr. P Lemoine, a French doctor, and his colleagues were the first to describe what today is known as “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome”. The French doctors first noticed the FAS symptoms in several children (127) of parents who were chronic alcoholics. However, the doctors’ discovery was barely noticed at that time. It wasn’t until Dr. K.L. Jones and other doctors in Seattle Washington made an independent re-description of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in 1973 that it (FAS) was given the attention it deserves. The Seattle doctors reported their findings in “The Lancet” (a British journal of medicine) and soon after their report was published several other reports followed and finally Fetal Alcohol Syndrome became a very serious topic of discussion in the battle against chronic alcoholism.
What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
The Mayo Clinic describes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) this way; “a condition that results from alcohol exposure during pregnancy.” The Mayo Clinic says that the problems caused by FAS include “physical deformities, mental retardation, learning disorders, vision difficulties and behavioral problems.” These problems vary from child to child says the Mayo Clinic, and FAS birth defects are unfortunately irreversible.
There is no recommended safe amount of alcohol for a pregnant woman to drink. Plain and simple, if you drink alcohol while you are pregnant you are putting your child at very serious risk of FAS. There is no doubt about that.
FAS Symptoms
Alcohol is a “Teratogen”. A Teratogen, according to medicennet.com, is any agent that can “disturb the development of an embryo or fetus.” Birth defects and terminated pregnancies are the result of alcohol and other teratogens such as radiation, maternal infections, chemicals, and drugs. Alcohol has been described as the leading teratogen an unborn child may be exposed to. After exposure to the alcohol teratogen FAS affects the child’s growth and performance. Other affected areas include the child’s heart, his/her face and head, the child skeletal structure, and finally the child’s intelligence may be affected.
According to medicinenet.com and other sources, the FAS child suffers from diminished growth, low birth weight; the length of the infant measured at birth and standing is retarded and the lagging growth and development of the child is a permanent symptom of FAS. The FAS child will suffer from impaired performance, be irritable, and hyperactive. He or she will have tremors and have very poor motor skills, a weak grasp and their hand eye coordination will be seriously affected. With diminished intelligence a child diagnosed with FAS usually has IQ average in the 60s. This IQ level is considered mild mental retardation and the in United States IQ’s this low are considered “educable mentally retarded.”
FAS Characteristics
Characteristics of the FAS child’s face include short eye openings or what is termed “palpebral fissures”, a sunken nasal bridge, a short nose, flattened mid-face and cheekbones, “smoothing and elongation of the ridged area or “the philtrum area between the nose and lips, and thin smooth, upper lip. The FAS child may suffer heart murmurs, spina bifida, fluid on the brain and other abnormalities.
FAS Diagnosis
It is important that a child is diagnosed properly and early enough for the sake of the child and the child’s family. Certain criteria are used in the proper diagnoses of FAS according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, FAS is not easy to diagnose and be considered among the symptoms of medical problems. There is no specific physical feature or test that will help diagnose FAS.
Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE)
Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) is a lesser FAS diagnosis in a person who does not have all the signs and symptoms of FAS but there is a history of being exposed to alcohol at birth.
FAS Children may have dental problems and problems with his ears and eyes. They may suffer from nearsightedness. FAS children may exhibit noticeable behavior problems with judgment, self discipline, and ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). FAS diagnosed child may have issues socially.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, The Cause
Of course the main cause of FAS is alcohol consumption by pregnant woman. But other symptoms of FAS may be caused by the byproducts created when the body burns the alcohol. The byproducts and the alcohol consumption work to kill the brain cells, change the location of certain brain cells, and work to destroy the proper development of the brain.
According to the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome "No amount of alcohol has been proven safe to consume during pregnancy.” The NOFAS states that “FAS and FAE...are 100% preventable when a pregnant woman abstains from alcohol." FAS children are of chronic alcoholic mothers who, according to the NOFAS, drink “at least eight to 10 drinks a day.” FAS/FAE children have mothers who drank about four to six drinks a day. Even women who drank one drink a day have had children with subtle signs of FAS/FAE. The safest and most effective way to insure your child does not develop FAS/FAE is to take heed to the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndromes warning and totally abstain from drinking alcohol when pregnant. The NOFAS is not alone in its warning pregnant woman not to drink while pregnant.
The March of Dimes reports that pregnant women who drink are delivering alcohol to their fetus through their placenta. According to the March of Dimes the fetus is too immature to be able to break down the alcohol as fast as a mature adult leaving higher levels of alcohol in the baby for longer periods of time. This results in the problems of FAS.
The Narconon Alcohol Rehab program provides a chance for your loved one to recover.
The March of Dimes concurs with the NOFAS in its recommendation that pregnant women “do not drink any alcohol”, this includes beer, wine, wine coolers and liquor, while pregnant and nursing. The March of Dimes even goes further warning women who think they may be pregnant or planning a pregnancy not to drink.
Did you know that about 1 in 12 pregnant women drink during pregnancy and approximately 1 in 30 pregnant women report binge drinking? It’s true. Get the facts and save a child from the FAS.
