About fetal alcohol syndrome facts you should know that this refers to a group of signs and symptoms that appear in the same time and that indicate a given condition. In this case we are talking about birth defects that are caused by pregnant women consuming alcohol.
Facts regarding fetal alcohol syndrome
It is a known fact that the children who are affected by this syndrome grow more slowly than other kids. It is also common for them to have facial abnormalities and they could have issues with their central nervous system that could lead to mental retardation.
The sad truth regarding FAS facts is that this is the major cause of birth defects in the U. S. Also this condition is known as the only cause of birth defects that can be prevented. Each year about 5,000-12,000 babies are born with this problem in the country.
Symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome
The doctors say that a child is affected by the problem if he or she shows signs of mental retardation and has specific facial features such as small eyes and dropping eyelids, upturned and short nose, small jaw, flattened cheeks, thin upper lip and a flattened philtrum.
The central nervous system is also affected by the FAS. In this case we are referring to hyperactivity, mental retardation slow development of the motor skills, such as sitting up, rolling over, walking and crawling, grasping objects and transferring objects from one hand to the other.
Another fact that you should know is children could also have impaired language development, difficulties with learning, problems with memory, distractibility, poor judgment, impulsiveness, and seizures. The affected children could have all the symptoms or only a few of them.
The truth about FAS also includes that the babies could have a low birth weight, hearing disorders or a small skull. According to the studies conducted in this field, the more serious the physical birth defects are, the more severe the mental problems.
Secondary conditions
We also have to take into consideration regarding the fetal alcohol syndrome facts that the affected children could also develop secondary conditions. For instance they could have mental health problems like conduct disorder, psychotic episodes and depression.
The truth about fetal alcohol syndrome is that the academic achievements of the affected children are also poorer. The rates of expulsion and suspension in this case is higher because children aren’t able to get along with others, they are disobedient and truant.
It is no fairytale to deal with fetal alcohol syndrome facts and the majority of the parents do everything they can in order to avoid situations of this kind. However there are also a lot of women who think that it is alright to have a drink from time to time and they don’t realize the damage that they cause by not knowing the effects of their actions.
