Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Taylor Amoss
One Drink Won't Hurt...
Actually, yes it will. During pregnancy the developing fetus relies on the mother to provide all of the food and nutrients it needs to become a healthy and thriving baby after 40 weeks in the womb. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is distinguished by (a) slow physical growth, (b) a pattern of three facial abnormalities (short eyelid openings, thin upper lip, a smooth or flattened philtrum, or indentation running from the bottom of the nose to the center of the upper lip), and (c) brain injury, evident in a small head and impairment in at least three areas of functioning -- for example, memory, language, and communication, attention span, and activity level (over activity), planning and reasoning, motor coordination, or social skills (Burke, 2010).
They Will Grow Out Of It...
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome does not end when the baby is born and it is not something the child will grow out of with time. It is a permanent disability. Once a child is born and has been identified as having Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, the diagnoses changed to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or FASD. If the toxins from the alcohol did not kill the fetus, and the child was not diagnosed during pregnancy, this is when FASD would be used (Jones and Streissguth, 2010). With a enriched and nutritious diet, children with FASD have a hard time catching up and maintaining a healthy weight and physical size in comparison to normal children their age. An individuals with FASD during their teens and twenties have trouble concentrating and keeping a routine job (Burke, 2010).
Progression of a child's face with FASD
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Protest Poster
Political Cartoon Representing FAS
Works Cited
Burke, Laura E. (2010). Development through the lifespan. 89-90
Jones, K., & Streissguth, A. P. (2010). Fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: A brief history. Journal Of Psychiatry & Law, 38(4), 373-382.