Alcohol And Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Term paper

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Alcohol and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alcohol plays a major role in society today. It is constantly being .

...... in our minds through advertisements, whether its commercials or

billboards, holidays, or even just at the popular social scene. Alcohol is

consumed for many purposes, such as celebrations, to increase romance, out of

boredom, or a way to relax. Alcohol is a drug that is depended upon by the

majority of our society. Nonetheless, alcohol has very damaging effects, not

only does it cause self-inflicted diseases resembling alcoholism or cirrhosis

of the liver, but it harms unborn fetuses as well. Many women drink alcohol

when they do not even know that they are pregnant yet. Alcohol can cause

disorders such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, FAS, is a congenital disorder which is

characterized by a variety of physical and behavioral traits that result from

maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The term Fetal Alcohol Effects,

FAE, indicates that alcohol is being considered as one of the possible causes of

a patient's birth defects. In other words, FAE is a less severe form of FAS.

Both FAS and FAE are the results of the use of teratogens, which are nongenetic

influences that can potentially complicate fetal development.(Harris, p.85)

FAS is due to the mother's consumption of alcohol during pregnancy.

Alcohol in the woman's bloodstream circulates to the fetus via the placenta.

There, the alcohol intrudes with the ability of the fetus to receive a

sufficient amount of oxygen and nourishment for normal development in the brain

and other body organs. The critical time for alcohol teratogenicity is around

the time of conception.

Effects of FAS/FAE

Although alcohol is the only cause of FAS, there are unfortunately

numerous effects. Infants with FAS may have a weak sucking response and an

irregular sucking pattern early in life. Some doctors describe them as

distracted and fatigued when sucking. Withdrawal symptoms such as prolonged

twitching, jitteriness, sweating, and hyperactivity have also been reported in

infants exhibited to alcohol before birth. (Timberlake and Birch, p.1)

Prenatal alcohol exposure is one of the leading known causes of mental

retardation in the United States. Mental retardation is usually mild to

moderate, but occasionally it is severe. Central nervous system handicaps are

also present in children with FAS. A small brain, learning disabilities, short

attention span, hyperactivity in childhood, and poor body, hand, and finger

coordination are examples of CNS handicaps.(NIAAA, p.1) Mental handicaps and

hyperactivity are probably the most debilitating aspects of FAS.(Streissguth,

p.1)

Children with FAS also suffer from facial abnormalities. These

abnormalities include: small eye openings, drooping eyelids, short upturned nose,

thin upper lip, and low set or poorly formed ears. (NIAAA, p.1) These facial

patterns distinguish children with FAS/FAE from normal children, however they

are not harshly malformed.

A more serious and life threatening symptom of FAS is organ deformities.

This includes heart defects, heart murmurs, genital malformities, as well as

urinary and kidney defects. Abnormal thyroid functioning and a decrease in the

effectiveness of the immune system are also present in infants exposed to

alcohol.

What about paternal alcohol consumption? Alcohol may affect fetal

development through a direct effect on the father's sperm or gonads. Studies

have shown that children with alcoholic fathers often experience cognitive

abilities and have a greater chance of being hyperactive. These findings were

found in adoption cases, where the biological father was an alcoholic and the

child was raised by nonalcoholic parents.(Cicero,p.3)

FAE is a broad term covering a wide range of success levels, from mild

learning disabilities to a less severe form of FAS. FAE is much harder to

detect than FAS and extremely difficult to diagnose at birth. This is because

FAE conditions begin to occur during school years. These conditions include

behavioral problems, short attention span, language difficulties, and

hyperactivity. (Timberlake and Birch, p.1)

Occurrence

The number of new cases each year of FAS and FAE are significantly

underreported, therefore it is difficult to obtain accurate findings. “The

incidence of FAS is estimated at 1-2 per 1,000 live births whereas FAE is

estimated to occur in 3-5 per 1,000 live births.”(Timberlake and Birch, p.2)

According to the Centers for Disease Control's(CDC), Birth Defects Monitoring

Program (BDMP), “FAS is difficult to recognize in newborns for three reasons:

1)Facial stigmata of FAS are often subtle; 2)Some types of CNS deficits in

infants are difficult to detect; 3)The birth weight of some affected infants is

normal.”(Abel and Sokol, p.1) Symptoms become more noticeable with age.

According to statistics, 44% of chronic alcoholics have affected children: 50%

of these children will be mentally retarded and 30% will have physical

malformations. (Harris, p.98) If a pregnant woman drinks 1-2 ounces of alcohol

a day for the first three months of pregnancy, FAE will be present in 11% of the

births.

Treatments

There are many needs that call for attention with FAS/FAE. Firstly,

FAS/FAE patients typically have complex medical needs associated with their

higher than average congenital anomalies. Infants with FAS are at risk for CNS

problems, therefore,...

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