Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FAS)

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Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD is a term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. FASD is not a clinical diagnosis but it refers to diseases such as fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder, and alcohol-related birth defects. FAS wasn’t found until 1973 by Jones and Smith, two Seattle physicians, when it was characterized as a “tragic disorder.” By the 1990’s, FAS was recognized as a “major public health concern.”
The symptoms of FAS are quite definitive and can be easily recognized. The problems can range in severity and duration. Some of the symptoms affect many different parts of the body. You can be born abnormally small and underweight, …show more content…
The only way that a child can be diagnosed with such a disease is if the mother abused alcohol while pregnant. It is also not a type of disease that you grow into. A child is either born with it or not. There is no cure for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome though there are precautions that a parent or guardian can take when raising a child with FAS. If your child is diagnosed with FAS at an early age, it is advised to take your child to a doctor as soon as possible. If you discover that your child has fetal alcohol syndrome, the best thing for them is an early diagnosis, appropriate treatments, and a stable household. Some of the symptoms that are short term include dental abnormalities, being underweight, and trouble nursing. But most of the defects are long term unless they are surgically …show more content…
Some children are simply born smaller than the average infant and have a flat face. Others are born with fused bones, brain disabilities, and a stutter. It is harder for some to fit into society. Statistics say that ninety-four percent of the affected have mental health problems. Eighty-three percent of FAS numbers are living dependantly, seventy-nine percent of the adults have employment problems, sixty percent of the children twelve and younger have problems with the law, fifty percent had inpatient treatment for mental health or substance abuse, forty-five percent engage in inappropriate sexual behavior, forty-three percent have a disrupted school experience, and twenty-four percent of adolescents, forty-six percent of adults, and thirty-five percent overall have alcohol or drug problems. Along with these statistics, most fetal alcohol syndrome patients lack basic social skills. Any form of FASD make one’s life harder than that average person. Many adults depend on other people to help them get through life, some get in trouble with the law, and many are convicted of substance
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