Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
The How it Happens and the Effects
How Much Do You Need to Drink to Give Your Baby FAS?
Any amount may give the baby FAS. Gynecologists recommend not drinking at all when pregnant.
Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Decreased muscle tone and poor coordination
Delayed development and problems in three or more major areas: thinking, speech, movement, or social skills
Heart defects
Problems with the face, including:
Narrow, small eyes with large epicanthal folds
Small upper jaw
Smooth groove in upper lip
Smooth and thin upper lip
Other Efects
The Effects On the Children
Children with fetal alcohol syndrome usually have multiple handicaps and require special medical, educational, familial and community assistance. These children may require lifelong, expensive, intensive care and intervention to reach their potential. Children with FAS often have behavior problems, because the alcohol injures their brain. Some have more behavioral problems than others. Some are so severely affected that they cannot function independently.
EFFECTS MAY INCLUDE:
- Hyperactivity
- Stubbornness
- Impulsiveness
- Passiveness
- Fearlessness
- Irritability
- Sleep difficulties
- Teasing or bullying of others
- Hypersensitivity to sound and touch
- Difficulty with change
- Poor self-image
- Depression