The Effects Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome On The Children

Although throughout the United States activist and educational campaigns have flooded U.S citizens with education on the detrimental effects of maternal alcohol consumption, women are still continuing to consume alcohol while pregnant. Fifty three percent of non-pregnant woman drink alcohol, and despite health warnings, twelve percent of pregnant mothers in the United States still consume alcohol (Pruett &Waterman & Caughey, 2013, p. 62). Fetal alcohol exposure is also believed to be widely underreported in the United States (Pruett et al., 2013, p. 66). Current research concludes that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, nor a safe time during gestation for alcohol consumption to take place (National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome [NOFAS], 2014). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term used for the various conditions that maternal alcohol consumption causes. Although each case of FASD can present differently, cognitive disabilities, facial deformities, and growth retention are a few of the hallmark adverse effects that alcohol has when it enters fetal circulation (Paley & O’Connor, 2011, p. 64). The United States is impacted economically by these debilitating conditions as well, as it costs our nation $746 million dollars annually to care for these children (Bhuvaneswar, Chang, Epstein & Stern, 2007, p. 3). Nurses in America, and across the globe have a key role in helping to eliminate, and minimize adverse effects of these conditions

Alcoholism is a real threat to pregnant women. In particular, there is a huge rise in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) cases, which is when an unborn fetus actually becomes addicted to and dependent on alcohol passed from the mother. In 1996, only 0.5 to 3.0 cases were confirmed for every 1,000 pregnancies, but today, that number is a staggering 20 to 50 cases per 1,000

As a result of pregnant women drinking, there have been a profuse amount of children born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Armstrong and Abel confirm that it wasn’t until 1973

The term “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders” (FASDS) is used to describe the numerous problems associated with exposure to alcohol before birth. Each year in the United States, up to 40,000 babies are born with “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders” (FASDs) (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Additionally, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders (FASDs) comes with effects that range from mild to severe. These effects include mental retardation; learning, emotional and behavioral problems; and defects involving the heart, face and other organs. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, the patterns of drinking that place a baby at greatest risk for FASDS are binge drinking and drinking seven or more drinks per week (Surgeon General). However, FASDS can occur in babies of women who drink less. There is no way of measuring how much alcohol one can consume before defects occur, and no proof that small amounts of alcohol are safe. As little as one drink a day can cause a baby some degree of harm and interfere with their normal development.

FAS is defined as a medical diagnosis involving four key features: alcohol exposure, growth deficiently, certain facial features, and brain damage. Infants who have been exposed to prenatal alcohol rarely show all symptoms of the medical condition FAS. Other terms have been used to describe the implication involved with FAS. Frequently used terms are: Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol-related Neurodevelopmental Disorder and Alcohol-related Birth Defects. A child with Partial Fetal Alcohol syndrome exhibits only some of the physical signs of FAS and will likely have both learning and behavioral difficulties. A child suffering from Alcohol-related Neurodevelopmental Disorder will demonstrate signs of neural damage, problems with memory, poor social skills, and learning difficulties. Children diagnosed with

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of mental, physical, and behavioral defects that may develop in the unborn child when its mother drinks during pregnancy. These defects occur primarily during the first trimester when the teratogenic effects of the alcohol have the greatest effect on the developing organs. The symptoms associated with FAS have been observed for many centuries, but it was not until 1968 that Lemoine and his associates formally described these symptoms in the scientific literature, and again in 1973 when Jones and associates designated a specific pattern of altered growth and dysmorphogenesis as the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (Rostand, p. 302). The set of abnormalities characterized by Jones

Even though there are many studies that highlight the damaging effects of maternal alcohol use on a fetus in utero, there are a multitude of other substances that are used by pregnant mothers that have similar and even, in some cases, more extreme repercussions such as marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. When speaking about pregnancy and drug use, the most common drug that comes to mind is alcohol. During 12 years of schooling, most people are exposed, at one point or another, to the idea of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and the detrimental effects of alcohol on a fetus in utero. The effects of maternal use of the aforementioned illicit drugs is less studied, partially because they are used less frequently. It is important, however, that as a population, we become more educated about these drugs and the potentially life threatening outcomes for babies in utero.

“Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during the mother's pregnancy” (Fetal alcohol syndrome. n.d.). Each year 1 in 750 infants in the United States are born in the United States alone, while another 40,000 are born with alcohol fetal effects. This happens to a child when the mother continues to drink alcohol during her pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause mental, physical, developmental disabilities in the baby, while fetal alcohol effects are milder, less advanced form of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) refers to a group of physical and mental birth defects resulting from a women’s drinking alcohol heavily or at crucial stages during pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was first named and treated in the late 1960's. This condition results from the toxic effect of alcohol and its chemical factors on the developing fetus. FAS is the leading cause of mental retardation occurring in 1 out of every 750 births. The frequency of FAS occurs about 1.9 times out of every 1000 births according to the latest figures, and minor effects can be seen in up to 20% of pregnancies per year. This number changes drastically for women who are clearly alcoholics. As high as 29 children out of every 1000 births will suffer from FAS

Some of birth defects and development disabilities are caused by parental exposure to alcohol. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a group of terms that can provide the concept of the effects that may occur in a newborn baby whose mother was drinking alcohol during her pregnancy such as mental, physical, behavioral, and cognitive effects. FASD was first described in 1973 in the United State of America by Jones and Smith, it was defined at that time as a ‘tragic disorder’. For every 1,000 live births in certain areas of the United States there is about 0.2 to 1.5 infants with FASD. Although FASD is incurable disorder, understanding the nature of the disease, avoiding triggers, and getting an

Fetal alcohol syndrome is caused when women during their pregnancy drink alcohol and cause developmental problems that can affect the fetus and infant for the rest of his or her life. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause facial abnormalities, mental retardation, and a significant decrease in overall growth of the fetus.1 There are numerous studies about prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome, and its effects on physical, neurological, and socioemotional functions of children. Many studies highlight that the risk of fetal alcohol increases by the amount of alcohol a woman drinks during her pregnancy. Many studies also support the idea that the more alcohol that is consumed during pregnancy, the greater the severity of the associated abnormalities that are found in the child. Because there is no cure for fetal alcohol syndrome, researchers have tried to achieve successful prevention plans by studying several options that could be implemented. The work that has been done to try and help children who have fetal alcohol syndrome is extensive but allows for further research.2

throughout the full thirty eight weeks of a pregnancy. The most severe cases of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are typically linked to alcohol consumption within the first trimester of pregnancy, more specifically the first few weeks after conception which can often be before the woman even knows she is pregnant. Physical deformities are the easiest to detect initially and are the first indication that a fetus may have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Abnormal facial features include small head, low nasal bridge, small eye openings, flat midface, epicanthal folds, thin upper lip, smooth philtrum, underdeveloped jaw, and short nose. Other physical characteristics include deformed limbs and lower/smaller (less than 10th percentile) than average height, weight, and head circumference (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Exposure to alcohol during prenatal development is one of the leading causes of preventable birth defects and mental impairments (Bower, Szajer, Mattson, Riley, & Murphy, 2013; Nuñez, Roussotte, &Sowell, 2011; Sowell et al., 2008a). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), the more severe form of PAE, affects two to seven out of every 1000 individuals in the United States (May et al., as cited in Simmons, Thomas, Levy & Riley, 2010). The term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) describes an individual with varying levels of PAE. Sampson et al. (as cited in Simmons at al., 2010) estimated that one in every 100 individuals suffers from some form of FASD. With such a high prevalence in the population, numerous studies have been done showing the

For many years the questions has been raised as to why not all children are affected by Foetal Alcohol Syndrome even if the mother was drinking alcohol during her pregnancy. The theory that genetics plays a role in whether a child will have FAS first came about through studying twins. In a sample size 16 sets of twins, which were all exposed to alcohol while in the uterus, out of the 5 sets of identical twins, in each set both children were affected by FAS. Out of the 11 sets of fraternal twins, 4 sets had the same out come as the identical twins, while in the other 7 sets only one child per set was affect by FAS. Through this research it can therefore be understood that it was the difference in DNA of the fraternal twins that lead to only

In my current studies I studied Anatomy and Physiology, where I independently studied different systems within the body. Studying this unit I researched the effect of alcohol on the body, this was important as it enabled me to improve my understanding that alcohol is a toxin and what it can do to different body systems. When studying I come across foetal alcohol syndrome, which is a condition that results from alcohol exposure during the mother’s pregnancy. A baby cannot process alcohol as well as the mother can, which can result in damage to the spinal cord, cells within the babies’ brain or the loss of pregnancy. Babies who are exposed to alcohol may have distinctive facial features at birth, which may become less noticeable with age.