Mini Paper 2
Fetal alcohol Syndrome
Prepared by:
What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)?
FAS is the leading cause of mental retardation in the U.S. today. FAS affects
approximately 1 in every 500 born in North America. Mother’s drinking
alcoholic beverages during pregnancy causes FAS. FAS is characterized by:
Smaller heads
Deformed facial features (small widely spaced eyes, underdeveloped jaw,
thin upper lip, and short upturned nose).
Abnormal joints and limbs- these include deformities of the small joints of
the hands as well as an incomplete rotation at the elbow.
Poor coordination
Problems with learning- difficulty sequencing, difficulty understanding
cause and effect, and weak generalizing skills.
Short memories
Medical problems- vision problems, hearing problems, epilepsy, renal
failure, heart failure, and death.
Inappropriate behavior- poor impulse control and poor judgement.
How FAS Affects Functioning In School:
Beginning with infancy, the children have problems at feeding and are highly
irritable. They also exhibit unpredictable sleeping and eating patterns, which
make it hard for the baby to be cared for and for maternal bonding to occur.
During development, both physical and mental, FAS children have very fine and
poor motor coordination skills and it becomes very apparent at the preschool
age. They also are very affectionate but at the same time very hyperactive,
which makes it a problem for the teachers who have them in class to deal with.
This is why they are, during the first few years of school, given the diagnoses
of having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): this diagnoses is
given because of there high activity level, short attention span, and poor
short term memory. Many of these children require special education help
regardless of the fact that their IQ falls between the normal range. Their
hyperactivity calls for them to receive special attention that normal teachers
cannot and at most times will not give them. As FAS children grow into FAS
adults, their level of development and how they developed begins to show in
everything they do. Since their social and mental health has been compromised
as adults they exhibit inadequate communication skills, impulsivity, poor
judgement, trouble with abstract thinking, and limited problem solving skills.
With all these problems they often have difficulty holding down a job because
of their unreliability, lack of social skills, and functional illiteracy.
Without appropriate support services, these individuals have a high risk of
developing secondary disabilities such as mental illness, getting into trouble
with the law, abusing alcohol and other drugs, and unwanted pregnancies. A
calm, nurturing, learning environment is vital for children with FAS. There are
many different teaching strategies tailored to meet each individuals need.
Children with FAS learn more when the curriculum is taught in the context of
the student’s daily life.
Many doctors with recognized expertise recommend most children with FAS do best
with a combination of Stimulant and Selective Seratonin Receptive Inhibitor
(SSRI).