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Long term affects of fas (Click to select text)
Research Paper After seeing a man like that I considered myself very lucky. Physically you could call him a man, but mentally he was a young boy. I don't remember his name, but we'll call him Joe. Joe's mother drank while he was in utero. As a result he suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome. Too many women don't realize the developmental effects of using drugs and alcohol during pregnancy. As a result of this many cases of fetal alcohol syndrome go unnoticed and thus untreated. Though we don't hear about this problem often enough it is very prevalent in our society. Nearly one in 500 births results in a child being born to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, otherwise known as FAS. One in thirty births are born with Fetal Alcohol Effects. Those diagnosed with FAS have prenatal and postnatal birth deficits, central nervous system dysfunction, specific facial characteristics, and body malformation problems. Children who display only some of these effects are claimed to have FAE, or fetal alcohol effects. The sad thing is that most infants and children who suffer from fetal alcohol effects go unnoticed. They are looked upon as having behavioral problems. Because of this lack of recognition the treatment of their problems are mishandled which creates a very difficult and confusing childhood for these children. (McCreight, 1997). Even when fetal alcohol effects are recognized there is limited treatment. There are hardly any programs in schools and society to help the children maintain normalcy. It was not until 1973 that the deficit was first acknowledged and given a name. Nearly thirty years later we are still having problems diagnosing and treating this incurable syndrome. The most obvious characteristics of those with FAS are facial deficits which include a short upturned nose, a small head, a broad and flattened face, a large space between the eyes, ears laid lower on the head, a long and thin upper lip and eyes with short slits. When a child with FAS has these characteristics the syndrome is easily recognized. Those FAE sufferers who are not recognized usually suffer from behavioral and cognitive learning problems. Most sufferers of FAE are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD. This is a common problem for children with FAS/E. According to one expert, (Dr. Russell Barkley) this condition can be differentiated into two forms. One is the well know "hyperactive" type in which the child appears to be highly overactive and easily distracted, finds it hard to stay on task, and generally has a difficult time following the social rules. The other, according to Barkley is called "undifferentiated". It is less well known and is characterized by a child who frequently appears lost in a daydream, is slow-moving and looks unmotivated, and also finds it difficult to stay on task or follow the social rules. (McCreit, 1997). This disorder would be considered a behavioral problem since it is difficult for children who suffer from it to concentrate in school. Children with FAS/E have a difficult time understanding how their behavior affects others or how they themselves are affected by things, events, or people. An example of this would be if a boy threw a baseball through your window. He would know what he had done, but he may not understand just what that has to do with your being angry with him. To the boy this was an accident and therefore not his fault. It is difficult for the boy to relate behavior to consequences. This inability can make growing up with FAS/E extremely difficult. The characteristics of FAS/E last throughout life and can have a sometimes-severe affect on the lives of children born with the syndrome. The sad thing is that FAS/E is totally preventable. This syndrome should never have to affect the lives of any children anywhere. The lack of education is what leads pregnant women to believe that if they drink moderately their baby will not be affected. I personally find it hard to understand why an expected mother or father would put their unborn child at risk simply to please themselves. I think you would want to give your child every advantage in life, not put he or she at a disadvantage before they are even born. The fact is none of this is necessary. The condition itself does not have to exist. Rferences R. Barkley, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (New York: The Guilford Press, 1990) B. McCreight, Recognizing and Managing Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects: A Guidebook (Washington, DC: Child Welfare League of America, 1997)
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