Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
A common saying that is told to pregnant mothers is “Make sure you don’t drink alcohol during your pregnancy!” This has been said for generations for a reason since there is no amount of alcohol that is known to be safe during pregnancy. In the case that a pregnant mother drinks alcohol, the child may be at risk for a condition called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The problems resulting from fetal alcohol syndrome vary in each child, but the defects are not reversible. The effects usually include brain damage and growth problems that lead to physical, behavioral, and learning problems in the future. By talking to a doctor early on during pregnancy, an early diagnosis can help reduce the amount of problems for your child in the future. Additionally, the sooner the mother stops drinking alcohol during her pregnancy, the better it will be for her and her baby since the brain growth takes place throughout the entire pregnancy.
The severity of fetal alcohol syndrome symptoms varies with each child. Some experience a greater degree of physical, intellectual or cognitive disabilities and behavioral issues than others. There is a range of effects that can happen to a child with fetal alcohol syndrome. The physical defects may include deformities of joints, limbs, and fingers, slow physical growth before and after birth, vision problems, hearing problems, heart defects, problems with kidneys and bones, small head circumference and brain size, and distinctive facial features including small eyes, a thin upper lip, and a upturned nose. There are also problems that could occur in the brain and central nervous system, which includes poor coordination or balance, poor memory, intellectual disability, trouble with attention and processing information, poor judgement skills, hyperactivity, rapidly changing moods, difficulty with problem-solving and reasoning. Lastly, problems could also arise as social and behavioral issues including difficulty in school, poor social skills, trouble with getting along with others, impulse control, ill concept of time, and difficulty of planning or working towards a goal. As seen from the numerous problems that result from fetal alcohol syndrome, it is common amongst people with this disease that they do poorly in school and have difficulties with memory, math, poor impulse control, and judgement.
The cause of this condition is when a mother is pregnant and drinks alcohol. If this occurs, the alcohol enters her bloodstream and reaches the developing fetus by crossing the placenta. The alcohol causes higher blood alcohol concentrations in the developing fetus than the mother’s body because the baby is able to metabolize the alcohol slower than an adult. Additionally, alcohol interferes with the delivery of oxygen and the optimal nutrition provided to the baby, so the fetus is not able to grow the proper amount. As aforementioned, exposure to alcohol before birth can harm the development of tissues and organs, which causes permanent brain damage to the baby. The unborn baby is at a greater risk of developing this condition as the mother drinks more. Since the baby’s brain, heart, and blood vessels develop in the early week of pregnancy, drinking alcohol during the first trimester can impair facial features, the bones, and the central nervous system.
Secondary disability that can result from having fetal alcohol syndrome includes attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), aggression, inappropriate social conduct, breaking rules, alcohol and drug misuse, mental health disorders, problems of staying in school, problems with independent living, and early death by accident, homicide, or suicide.
Fetal alcohol syndrome can easily be prevented by the mother who is carrying the child by not drinking any alcohol during the pregnancy. If a pregnant mother has not stopped drinking yet, they should stop immediately to decrease the amount of symptoms the fetus may experience later. Another prevention tactic is to consider giving up alcohol during your childbearing years to avoid any circumstances where you may cause damage to the fetus. The last solution to this condition is for the mother to get help before getting pregnant if she has an alcohol problem. This will avoid the condition at all costs and raise hope for a healthy baby.
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