2. Definition:
• Fetal alcohol syndrome is growth, mental, and
physical problems that may occur in a baby when a
mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy.
• In the United States, alcohol is the leading known
preventable cause of birth defects, both physical
and developmental.
• Many women drink alcohol while pregnant. It is
estimated that each year in the US, 1 in every 750
infants are born with FAS, while another 40,000 are
born with fetal alcohol effects (FAE).
3. The Different Types of FASD’s:
•
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS):
FAS represents the severe end of the FASD spectrum. Fetal death is the most
extreme outcome from drinking alcohol during pregnancy. People with FAS
might have abnormal facial features, growth problems, and central nervous
system (CNS) problems. People with FAS can have problems with learning,
memory, attention span, communication, vision, or hearing. They may have one
or more of these problems. This is one of the number one causes for mental
retardation.
•
Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND):
People with ARND might have intellectual disabilities and problems with
behavior and learning. They might do poorly in school and have difficulties
with math, memory, attention, judgment, and poor impulse control.
•
Alcohol-Related Birth Defects (ARBD):
People with ARBD might have problems with the heart, kidneys, or bones or
with hearing. They might have a mix of these.
4. FACTS:
•
•
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There is no specific age group
because FAS can not only effect
infants, but it can effect them for this
entire life.
Children that have Fetal Alcohol
Effects (FAE) or ARND normally are
undiagnosed because they don’t have
any type of physical symptoms or no
developmental delays, they just seem
stubborn and belligerent.
http://www.glogster.com/katieandashley/
fetal-alcohol-syndrome/g6ls5kmhd9ajamefskh85ca0
5. Signs & Symptoms:
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Low Birth weight
Small head Circumference
Failure to thrive
Developmental delay
Organ dysfunction
Epilepsy
Poor coordination/fine motor skills
Poor socialization skills, building and
maintaining friendships
Lack of imagination or curiosity
Learning difficulties, including poor memory, inability to understand
concepts such as time and money, poor language comprehension,
poor problem-solving skills
Behavioral problems
Facial abnormalities, including smaller eye openings, flattened
cheek bones, and indistinct philtrum (an underdeveloped groove
between the nose and upper lip)
6. Treatment Options:
• There's no cure or specific treatment for
fetal alcohol syndrome. The physical defects
and mental deficiencies typically persist for
a lifetime. Heart abnormalities may require
surgery. Learning problems may be helped
by special services in school. Parents often
benefit from counseling to help the family
with a child's behavioral problem.
7. How do teachers cope with children with
FASD (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Disorder)?
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For the teacher to be able to recognize when a student with FASD is
getting overwhelmed, the teacher must work with the parents to know
the signs.
The students with FASD most of the time need more one-on-one
(teachers aide) help to master the material they are being given.
The teachers must realize that students with FASD get frustrated very
easily and that they need to try not to get frustrated at the student.
The teacher needs to understand that the student gets easily over
stimulated.
Reward for good behavior, don’t punish for bad because they live by
the moment and don’t understand because they learn from mistakes.
