FASD

FASD is caused by mothers consuming alcohol during pregnancy. FASD stands for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder which describes a series of permanent and often devastating birth defects. If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant please for the sake of your baby’s health do not consume any alcohol.

The main effect of FASD on the fetus is brain damage. The effects of FASD can be caused during any trimester of pregnancy because the fetus’s brain continues to develop all through the pregnancy. The brain damage caused by FASD is very often accompanied by distinctive facial stigmata’s.

The features of FASD may also include stunted physical and emotional development, facial deformities, memory attention deficits, impulsive behavior, difficulty in telling fantasy from reality and a inability to control sexual impulses.

FASD is regarded by researchers as the leading cause of Mental retardation. In the United States it is estimated that every year 1 in 750 babies born suffer from FASD. Infants diagnosed with FASD have the following characteristics;
1) small birth weight
2) small eye openings
3) wide, smooth Philtrum – The Philtrum is the mid line groove in the upper lip that runs from the lip to the nose.
4) Thin upper lip
5) Small head circumference

Most babies with FASD are;
1) irritable
2) have trouble sleeping or eating
3) have a strong startle reflex
4) have heart defects
5) have abnormities of the ears, eyes, liver or joints

Children with FASD may have lower than normal intelligence and have developmental delays. The most serious effects of FASD are the symptoms that are not visible. These symptoms continue into adulthood and get worse if no treatment is sought. These symptoms include;
1) Hyperactivity
2) Memory Deficits
3) Inability to manage money
4) Immature social behavior
5) Excessively friendly even to strangers
6) Lack of control of emotions
7) Poor judgment

Children and adults with FASD are very vulnerable to physical, sexual and emotional abuse. FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder) is a very serious problem. Its also a disorder which is very easy to prevent. All a parent has to do to make sure there child does not suffer these horrible symptoms is to simply not drink alcohol while pregnant.

If you could prevent your child from being born with Down’s syndrome or Leukemia or any of the horrible diseases that exists you would do it. Sadly, those may not be able to prevented but FASD can be and as a parent you owe it to your child to give them a good start in life and it is so simple to do. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant don’t drink any alcohol ever!

For more information visit http://www.notasingledrop.org