Facts about fetal alcohol syndrome: If you love wine but are planning to have a family soon, you may want to start learning to say NO to alcohol. Mothers who expect to give birth to healthy babies are advised to stay away from drinking while pregnant.
Here are some facts about fetal alcohol syndrome - also called FAS in medical circles:
1. While drinking during pregnancy may not necessarily result in fetal alcohol syndrome, it is an accepted fact that it can potentially cause birth defects.
2. Because alcohol can cause birth defects, it is classified as a teratogen. A teratogen is defined as an agent that can disrupt the development of an embryo.
3. FAS is manifested in the child's growth, abilities, intelligence, appearance of the head and face, skeletal framework and heart.
4. There is no standard for how much intake is safe during pregnancy. The best prevention is to avoid alcohol altogether during the full nine months of pregnancy.
Characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome symptoms include: stunted or diminished growth, low weight at birth and after birth, mental retardation (ranging from mild to severe), poor performance, mood swings, low IQ (in the 60s), small head size, abnormal posture, and heart murmurs (which may or may not go away.)
Children diagnosed will initially show some -- which will display certain issues such as eye, ear and teeth problems. In the case of their teeth, there is often a wrong alignment and malocclusion. Hearing is also impaired.
Other fetal alcohol syndrome symptoms are the child's impulsive behavior, irritability, attention deficit, lack of self-discipline and poor social skills. The child is unable to detect social cues or tell right from wrong behavior.
Some infants will exhibit more serious fetal alcohol syndrome symptoms in the form of birth defects or deformities. Examples are hydrocephalus (this is a condition that occurs when there is too much fluid pressure in the brain,) cleft lip (or sometimes a cleft palate) and in more serious cases, spina bifida.
Spina bifida is an abnormal development of the brain, spinal column and the meninges -- the protective covering around the brain and spinal cord. About 1,000 to 2,500 American babies each year are born with this disorder.
If you care about your future child, it is essential to discuss pregnancy planning with your doctor because having a baby is a major life event. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes, so if you're planning to be a mother soon, avoid alcohol.
Author Resource:-
Emeka Ezidiegwu is an Author and Webmaster you can read some of his articles on alcoholism at alcohol poisoning or search for related topics at: alcoholism search
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