Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is defined by the Mayo Clinic Foundation as, "a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during the mother's pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome causes brain damage and growth problems. The problems caused by fetal alcohol syndrome vary from child to child, but defects caused by fetal alcohol syndrome are irreversible" (Mayo, 2014).
The cause of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is 100% preventable. There is no amount of alcohol that safe to consume while pregnant.
Below are two videos of individuals who have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. They talk about their struggles and daily occurrences while growing up, in school, and in the present.
The cause of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is 100% preventable. There is no amount of alcohol that safe to consume while pregnant.
Below are two videos of individuals who have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. They talk about their struggles and daily occurrences while growing up, in school, and in the present.
Diagnosis:There is no specific, accepted diagnostic criteria at the time; however there are four broad areas that clinicians look for: facial malformations, growth retardation, Central Nervous System abnormalities, and maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The diagnosis is based on a clinical examination; yet because there is no clear diagnostic criteria, many cases go under-identifies or under-diagnosed (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Guidelines for Referral and Diagnosis, 2005).
Characteristics:
Some common characteristics of children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) are:
As a whole, the characteristics and effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome may include physical, mental, behavioral, or learning disabilities (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder, 2005). Accommodations/Modifications:1. Because of the student's processing skills, he/she is only required to answer the knowledge level questions until they are adequate (Modification).
2. This student will only be graded on 5 questions, whereas the rest of the class will be graded on 10 questions (Modification). 3. These students may struggle with memory. An anchor chart is posted on their desk with daily instructions and the class schedule (Accommodation). 4. There is a quiet, self reflection area in the room for this student when their anger starts to become too much for them (Accommodation). 5. This child is able to take his/her assessments in a quieter, less distracted area (Accommodation). 6. When working with an aid, the student will be given directions multiple times and will repeat the directions back to the aid (Accommodation). 7. For working with memorizing certain skills, the teacher can give this student some silly jingles or rhymes (Accommodation). Scenarios:1. The class is working on the multiplication facts. The class will have 5 minutes to try and answer 50 multiplication facts on their sheet correctly. The student with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome will be given addition facts and will be given 50 questions as well, however they will be given unlimited amount of time.
2. A student with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is starting to become frustrated and angered in the classroom. He/she begins to have an episode. The teacher allows the student to go to their quiet, self reflection space in the room. When the teacher feels the student is calm, the teacher will talk to the student about what happened. The teacher will have a discussion with him/her about how they could have behaved differently and what judgement calls the student could have changed. |
Stimulation:Here is another short video of four teenagers with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. This shows some small bumps in the road that they face.
Facts and Statistics:
Alcohol on the brain:When the brain is exposed to alcohol prenatally, there are certain regions of brain that decrease in size. Those regions are:
Frontal lobes: this area of the brain deals with executive functions and impulse control. Cerebellum: this area of the brain deals with movement, behavior, memory, and coordination. Basal Ganglia: this area of the brain deals with processing memory, time perception, and predicting outcomes. Hippocampus: this area of the brain deals with learning and memory. Corpus Callosum: this area of the brain deals with processing information between the right and left side of the brain (Blaschke, Maltaverne, &Struck, 2009). Below is a picture of how the normal child's brain looks versus a child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. |
Parent Sources and Organizations for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome:
- Buxton, B. (2005). Damaged angels: An adoptive mother’s struggle to understand the tragic toll of alcohol in pregnancy. Cambridge, MA: De Capo Press.
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum. (2011, March 1). Retrieved from http://www.thearc.org/what-we-do/resources/fact-sheets/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorde
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (2010). Retrieved from http://www.fetalalcoholsyndrome.org/
- Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.mofas.org/
- McCreight, B. (1997). Recognizing and managing children With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects: A guidebook. Mt. Morris, IL: Child Welfare League of America.
- Mitchell, K.T. Retrieved from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Practical suggestions and support for families and caregivers.
- NOFAS – National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Retrieved from http://www.nofas.org/
- SAMHSA – Understanding FASDs: Getting a Diagnosis www.fasdcenter.samhsa.gov/documents/...
- Streissguth, A.P., Kanter, J., & Lowry, M. (1997). The challenge of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Overcoming secondary disabilities. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.
Children's Resources:
Try these Apps on the iPad:
Download the Discovering Emotions with Zeely app. This app has education games for teaching emotions and emotion recognition and expressions.
Download the Kid's Brain Balancer EN app. This app works on your child's cognitive development through fun games and activities.
Download the Brian Trainer app. This app works on memory and intellectual abilities for children.
Download the Discovering Emotions with Zeely app. This app has education games for teaching emotions and emotion recognition and expressions.
Download the Kid's Brain Balancer EN app. This app works on your child's cognitive development through fun games and activities.
Download the Brian Trainer app. This app works on memory and intellectual abilities for children.
Citations:
Blaschke, K., Maltaverne, M., & Struck, J. (2009). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Educational Strategies. Retrieved from http://www.usd.edu/medical-school/center-for-disabilities/upload/fasdeducationalstrategies.pdf
Buxton, B. (2005). Damaged angels: An adoptive mother’s struggle to understand the tragic toll of alcohol in pregnancy. Cambridge, MA: De Capo Press.
Common Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.semel.ucla.edu/fas/about/characteristics
Data & Statistics: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, January 28). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/data.html#modalIdString_CDCImage_0
Diagnosis: Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, June 3). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/diagnosis.html
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum. (2011, March 1). Retrieved from http://www.thearc.org/what-we-do/resources/fact-sheets/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorde
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. (2005, July 15). Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0715/p279.html
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Education Strategies. (2009) Retrieved from http://www.usd.edu/medical-school/center-for-disabilities/upload/fasdeducationalstrategies.pdf
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (2010). Retrieved from http://www.fetalalcoholsyndrome.org/
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Guidelines for Referral and Diagnosis (May 2005). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/documents/fas_guidelines_accessible.pdf
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2014). Fetal alcohol syndrome. Mayoclinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fetal-alcohol-syndrome/basics/coping-support/con-20021015
Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.mofas.org/
McCreight, B. (1997). Recognizing and managing children With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects: A guidebook. Mt. Morris, IL: Child Welfare League of America.
Mitchell, K.T. Retrieved from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Practical suggestions and support for families and caregivers.
NOFAS – National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Retrieved from http://www.nofas.org/
SAMHSA – Understanding FASDs: Getting a Diagnosis www.fasdcenter.samhsa.gov/documents/...
Streissguth, A.P., Kanter, J., & Lowry, M. (1997). The challenge of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Overcoming secondary disabilities. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.
Buxton, B. (2005). Damaged angels: An adoptive mother’s struggle to understand the tragic toll of alcohol in pregnancy. Cambridge, MA: De Capo Press.
Common Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.semel.ucla.edu/fas/about/characteristics
Data & Statistics: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, January 28). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/data.html#modalIdString_CDCImage_0
Diagnosis: Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, June 3). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/diagnosis.html
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum. (2011, March 1). Retrieved from http://www.thearc.org/what-we-do/resources/fact-sheets/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorde
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. (2005, July 15). Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0715/p279.html
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Education Strategies. (2009) Retrieved from http://www.usd.edu/medical-school/center-for-disabilities/upload/fasdeducationalstrategies.pdf
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (2010). Retrieved from http://www.fetalalcoholsyndrome.org/
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Guidelines for Referral and Diagnosis (May 2005). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/documents/fas_guidelines_accessible.pdf
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2014). Fetal alcohol syndrome. Mayoclinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fetal-alcohol-syndrome/basics/coping-support/con-20021015
Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.mofas.org/
McCreight, B. (1997). Recognizing and managing children With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects: A guidebook. Mt. Morris, IL: Child Welfare League of America.
Mitchell, K.T. Retrieved from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Practical suggestions and support for families and caregivers.
NOFAS – National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Retrieved from http://www.nofas.org/
SAMHSA – Understanding FASDs: Getting a Diagnosis www.fasdcenter.samhsa.gov/documents/...
Streissguth, A.P., Kanter, J., & Lowry, M. (1997). The challenge of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Overcoming secondary disabilities. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.
By: Sarah Fischenich