Drinking alcohol in large amounts is always risky and dangerous but more so during pregnancy. It is especially detrimental in the first trimester (first three months of pregnancy) when the baby’s essential organs including the brain are first beginning to develop. Some doctors used to advise that small amounts of alcohol later in pregnancy were safe, but women who have a tendency toward binge drinking should abstain altogether. Once a binge drinker gets started, it is very hard for them to stop and the risk to the baby is just not worth it. Experts now agree drinking during pregnancy is not advisable because every baby is different. Even a small amount of alcohol could be dangerous to one baby while not quite as much to another. It is simply not worth it to take the risk since one can’t be sure how one’s own baby be will be affected. Even women who drink very little later in pregnancy are putting themselves at risk for a premature delivery with a low birth weight baby. If a pregnant woman is drinking it is vital that she enroll in a program such as Narconon.
FAS EFFECTS ON THE BODY AND ORGANS
If a mother continues to drink during her pregnancy she is subjecting her child to the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS affects about one percent of the population. Mothers who are at higher risk of having an FAS baby are usually thirty years of age or older, have a history of binge drinking and are of low socioeconomic status. FAS babies have a range of symptoms that are telling signs of the mother’s indulgence during pregnancy. Most FAS babies have low a birth weight and are shorter in length compared to a non FAS baby. Their height retardation is permanent. They many times have a failure to thrive. They also may have poor liver and kidney function and a heart murmur. The heart murmur may go away with time and is often due to a hole between ventricles. These babies may develop tremors, have poor hand eye coordination and muscle function.
The Narconon Drug Rehab Program successfully treats alcohol addiction.
MEASURABLE EFFECTS OF FAS
They may be epileptic and are often born with a small head circumference due to an underdeveloped growth of the brain. This may not be visually noticeable to family and friends but is many times discovered by the family doctor during routine measurements of the child. Their eyes are often small and narrow with large epicanthal folds and the nose may be small and upturned. The space between the nose and the upper lip is unusually smooth and the upper lip is very thin. The upper jaw is often small and underdeveloped. In some severe cases the child may be born with a cleft lip. They are often born with what is called railroad track ears. Their cheek bones can be underdeveloped. On their hands they may have a simian crease which is also present in down syndrome babies.
PSYCHOSOCIAL AFFECTS OF FAS
FAS children often have poor learning abilities and may even be born with mental retardation. It is difficult for them to comprehend concepts such as time and money. They have trouble with language comprehension and a hard time solving problems. Mathematics may be especially difficult for them to grasp. The average IQ of someone with FAS is around 60. Often children with FAS are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Children and adults with FAS also face many social challenges. They are often irritable and have a hard time getting along with their peers. FAS children have a hard time relating to groups. It is difficult for them to develop and maintain friendships. They may often withdraw from social situations and have anxiety. They are often times impulsive and are not precautionary in their actions.
FAS is one of the most preventable birth defects in children. All one has to do is not drink when one is pregnant. However once a child has developed FAS there is no cure. These children will suffer for the rest of their life. Often times they get in trouble with the law and because of a lack of diagnosis are in and in out of the system their entire lives. They often suffer from a lack of remorse and empathy. If caught early on the are preventable measures that parents and caregivers can take to reduce some symptoms of behavioral problems such as social training at home and in the class room but this a very difficult task.
PREVENTION
If a woman is an alcoholic and planning on having children it would be in her best interest to seek treatment right away before it is too late and she is already pregnant. Every time a pregnant woman drinks alcohol her child is receiving that alcohol via the umbilical cord and she putting her child at risk for FAS. Many women may feel embarrassment over seeking treatment for their alcohol problem but there is nothing to be ashamed of in trying to protect a child from a preventable lifetime of hardship and health problems. Experts agree that if a woman is sexually active and goes on drinking binges she should be taking some type of birth control. Often the most harm is done to fetus early on in the pregnancy when many times a woman does not even know that she is pregnant. The best approach is to seek treatment and start abstaining from alcohol before trying to conceive. If the pregnancy is discovered and a woman is drinking it is still recommended that she quit drinking as soon as possible to further prevent more damage being done to the child. There are many resources available to people with alcohol problems. There are many centers found on the Internet with various prices. There is a multitude of support groups. Some mothers choose programs like Narconon. Another module designed specifically for alcoholics is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). There is an AA resource guide easily found on the Internet with a listing of locations for meetings.
FAS is a devastating debilitating disease that can be prevented. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcoholism and is pregnant or planning on getting pregnant don’t delay. Please look into finding treatment as soon as possible. You will be helping prevent a child from being born with many physical and mental hardships.
Remember FAS is 100 percent preventable, but unfortunately once established incurable.
