| Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a disorder of | | | | difficult to pinpoint its exact cause. The first known |
| permanent birth defects that occur in the offspring | | | | observation of birth deficits was made in 1899 by |
| of pregnant mothers who drink throughout their | | | | Liverpudlian, Dr. William Sullivan. Sullivan conducted a |
| pregnancy. A relatively new condition that has only | | | | study on 120 female prisoners and noted higher rates |
| recently been discovered, it is difficult to determine | | | | of still birth from the alcoholic portion of the quota. |
| whether amount, frequency or timing of alcohol | | | | Similar observations have been made by many other |
| consumption has an effect on the unborn child. Thus, | | | | scientists and psychologists throughout the years but |
| it has been determined that no amount of alcohol | | | | it was only in 1973 that FAS was given its official |
| consumption is acceptable during pregnancy. | | | | term by Drs Kenneth Lyons Jones and David W |
| According to FASAware, Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is | | | | Smith of the University of Washington. Whilst most |
| the biggest cause of non-genetic mental handicap in | | | | syndromes are named after their discoverer, Jones |
| the Western world and is 100% preventable. | | | | and Smith named FAS after its preventable cause. |
| Common effects of FAS include smaller and | | | | There is no cure available for FAS due to the |
| underweight babies, slack muscle tones, a thin upper | | | | enormity of the damage to the central nervous |
| lip, low nasal bridge, permanent brain damage, speech | | | | system and this damage creates a permanent |
| impediments, heart and eye disorders and many | | | | disability. There is, however, treatment available. |
| more. It would seem that almost every type of birth | | | | Because the damage to the CNS varies from |
| defect can be attributed to drinking throughout the | | | | individual to individual, there is no single treatment |
| pregnancy. | | | | that works for everyone, but a variety of |
| Of all of the birth defects, central nervous system | | | | treatments is suggested based on various models. |
| damage to the brain is the main effect of alcohol | | | | Traditional medical interventions such as psychoactive |
| exposure in the womb. When brain cells are | | | | drugs are commonly used on patients with poor |
| developing, they become malformed and | | | | attention spans, similar to people diagnosed with |
| underdeveloped when exposed to alcohol by the | | | | ADHD. Special education services are also employed |
| parent. This can create a variety of cognitive and | | | | in such cases. Of course, there are no treatments for |
| functional disabilities such as poor memory and | | | | children born with physical deformities. |
| attention deficits. There are also a number of | | | | Like smoking during pregnancy, alcohol abuse is |
| secondary disabilities including mental health problems | | | | heavily frowned upon in modern society. It has been |
| and drug addiction. | | | | deemed that smoking increases the chance of still |
| The risk of brain damage from exposure to alcohol is | | | | birth, reduces the weight of the new born child and |
| apparent in every trimester as the brain is in constant | | | | increases the chance of ectopic pregnancy (where |
| development throughout the pregnancy. | | | | the embryo becomes implanted in the fallopian tube). |
| FAS is the leading known cause of mental retardation | | | | The only true way to prevent Foetal Alcohol |
| in the Western world. In the United States alone, | | | | Syndrome is to cut out all alcoholic beverages from |
| FAS is present up to two times in every 1,000 births | | | | your diet completely. Whilst some studies have |
| which is higher than other developmental disabilities | | | | determined a small amount of alcohol causes no |
| such as Down Syndrome and Spina Bifida. | | | | danger to the foetus, expectant mothers would do |
| FAS is relatively unknown at the moment and it is | | | | well to steer clear of it altogether. |