Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Robin Jones Georgann Kennay What

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Robin Jones Georgann Kennay

What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome? • Prenatal exposure to alcohol. • Lifelong physically and mentally disabling condition. • Not a single birth defect, but a cluster. • http: //departments. weber. edu/chfam/html/fas. html

What Causes FAS? • Mother drinks too much during pregnancy. • Alcohol is able to cross the placenta. • Fetus does not receive enough oxygen.

Prevalence of FAS • Every year 1 in 750 babies are born with full blown FAS. • Another 50, 000 children are born with Fetal Alcohol Effects. (FAE)

Diagnosis • Based on the evaluation of physical characteristics. • No actual psychological or behavioral tools to diagnose, but these types of tools can be used to corroborate medical opinion.

Characteristics that must be present… • Growth deficiency • Pattern of facial features and other physical abnormalities • Central Nervous System dysfunction • Strong evidence of maternal drinking (No diagnosis can be made without this evidence. ) • FAE-Fetal Alcohol Effects

Physical Characteristics • Small head • Small for age • Deformed facial features • Abnormal joints and limbs • http: //www. childstudy. org/fas/facies/ • http: //w 3. ouhsc. edu/f as/

Additional Characteristics • • • Growth deficiencies Central Nervous System Problems Poor Coordination Problems with learning Short memory

Instructional Ideas • • • Early intervention Functional skills Communication skills Social skills Manage behaviors

Technology • • Tape Recorders Computers Video Recordings Visuals

Interesting Information • Completely preventable disease • Surgeon General issued the first advisory against alcohol in 1981 • Alcohol use by pregnant women has declined since 1995 • FAS is recognized as a leading cause of Mental Retardation (Burgess & Stroissguth, 1992)

Additional Resources • • • Kleinfield, J. & Wescott, S. (1996). Fantastic Antone succeeds: Experiences in educating children with fetal alcohol syndrome. Fairbanks, AL : University of Alaska Press. Streissguth, A. & Kantor, J. (1997). The challenge of fetal alcohol syndrome: Overcoming secondary disabilities. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. Streissguth, A. (1997). Fetal alcohol syndrome: A guide for families and communities. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes. • • http: //www. worldprofit. com/o ther. htm http: //www. acbr. com/fas/ind ex. htm Center for Disease Control and Prevention http: //www. cdc. gov/ncbddd/f as/ The Mayo Clinic http: //www. mayoclinic. co m/invoke. cfm? • Kids Health for Parents http: //kidshealth. org/parent/ medical/brain/fas. html

Sources of Information • • Burgess, D. & Strissguth, A. (1992). Fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects: principles for educators. Phi Delta Kaappan, v 74 n 1, 24 -30. Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. As a matter of fact: Fetal alcohol syndrome. Retrieved May 17, 2004 from www. well. com/use/woa/fsfas. htm National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. Fetal alcohol syndrome. Retrieved May 17, 2004 from http: //www. cdc. gov/ncbddd/fasprev. htm Weber State University-Department of Child & Family Studies http: //departments. weber. edu/chfam/html/fas. html A Pregnant Pause from http: //w 3. ouhsc. edu/fas/ Fetal Alcohol Syndrome http: //www 2. potsdam. edu/alcoholinfo/FAS. html#Note 1 Children’s Research Triangle from http: //www. childstudy. org/fas/facies/