What are three effects of fetal alcohol syndrome?
The effects of FAS include mental retardation, malformations of the skeletal system and major organ systems (specifically the heart and brain), inhibited growth, central nervous system complications, poor motor skills, mortality, and difficulty with learning, memory, social interaction, attention span, problem solving.
What are the physical effects of fetal alcohol syndrome?
Physical defects Distinctive facial features, including small eyes, an exceptionally thin upper lip, a short, upturned nose, and a smooth skin surface between the nose and upper lip. Deformities of joints, limbs and fingers. Slow physical growth before and after birth. Vision difficulties or hearing problems.
What is the main effect of fetal alcohol exposure?
It can cause a range of developmental, cognitive, and behavioral problems, which can appear at any time during childhood and last a lifetime. The most profound effects of prenatal alcohol exposure are brain damage and the resulting impairments in behavioral and cognitive functioning.
Who is most affected by fetal alcohol syndrome?
Women who drink heavily, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy, tend to have the most severely affected children. The manifestations of FASD are wide ranging.
Is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome a disability?
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is an alcohol-related birth disability and is the number one cause of intellectual disability in the United States. It is also the only cause of birth defects that is entirely preventable.
Can you survive fetal alcohol syndrome?
There is no cure for FASD. But getting help early can help improve a child’s behavior. Medicine may help a child’s attention difficulties or hyperactive behaviors. Families may also get help by learning parenting skills and having access to respite care.
What are the long term effects of fetal alcohol syndrome?
Individuals with FASD can also have permanent vision and hearing problems; poorly developed bones, limbs and fingers; and damage to the heart, kidney, liver and other organs. Secondary disabilities are those not present at birth, but occur later in life as a result of the primary disabilities associated with FASD.