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Nicole Malara #24

SED 205 01
9 February 2012
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
I chose to write my journal on an article titled Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders,
research challenges and opportunities by Kenneth R. Warren, PhD. Brenda G. Hewitt, and
Jennifer D. Thomas, PhD. These authors helped me learn more about a disease that can be
prevented. Mothers would be thrilled to hear that they have a healthy baby. Parents that
bore children with diseases like Downs syndrome and Williams Syndrome arent so lucky
and it happens prenatally, which means before birth while theyre still in the womb.
Mothers that have children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are the children that I feel for the
most. Their mothers had a choice to keep them healthy and not consume alcohol during
the pregnancy, but they simply chose not to.
Fetal alcohol syndrome was not introduced until 1973. Because of this, alcohol is
now recognized as the leading preventable cause of birth defects and developmental
disorders in the United States. The severity of the whole process is determined by multiple
factors, including genetic background, timing and level of alcohol exposer, and nutritional
status. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the worst that can happen by drinking alcohol and these
births have an estimated prevalence that range from 0.5 to 7.0 cases per 1,000 births in the
United States. Many children who are exposed to alcohol suffer from alcohol-related brain
and behavioral abnormalities but arent diagnosed with FAS because they do not show the
abnormal facial features. This range of deficits is now known as fetal alcohol spectrum

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disorders and the disabilities associated with the disorder can persist throughout life and
place heavy emotional and financial burdens on individuals, families, and society.
Since the first formal description of FAS, the terminology used to define and
diagnose the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure has evolved. Despite the research, the
disorder has very little change added to it. Instead, there are a variety of terms used to
describe the range of alcohols effects. These include FAS, partial FAS, fetal alcohol effects,
alcohol-related birth defects, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disease, and fetal alcohol
spectrum disorders. Some facial characteristics that are associated with fetal alcohol
exposure include a low nasal bridge, mirror ear abnormalities, indistinct philtrum,
micrognathia, epicanthal folds, short palpebral fissures, flat midface and short nose, and a
thin upper lip. Several major published sets of diagnostic criteria for FAS and other
negative effects of prenatal alcohol exposure currently are being used to identify alcohol
prenatally. There is a detailed diagnostic system commonly referred to as either the 4-Digit
Code or the Washington Criteria. The terminology used in describing and diagnosing the
consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure continues to be fluid, as is any area of medicine
and will continue to evolve in the future.
A better understanding of the physical, neurological, and behavioral patterns of
alcohols effects also can help improve diagnosis of affected individuals. For example, the
understanding of specific neurodevelopmental consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure
would enhance the clinicians ability to distinguish FASD from other developmental
disabilities. Recognizing weakness and strengths in patients cognitive behavioral profiles
will help researches and treatment providers design interventions that target weaknesses
while using strategies that engage existing strengths. Individuals with FASD have revealed

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that some brain regions are particularly sensitive to prenatal alcohol exposure, whereas
other areas are relatively more spared. The vulnerable regions include the frontal cortex,
caudate, hippocampal formation, corpus callosum, and components of the cerebellum,
including the anterior cerebellar vermis. An MRI of the brain can detect some of these
things, but drinking alcohol while being pregnant is not worth it to risk all of those spots in
the brain.
Despite health warnings issued by the Federal Government since 1977 that included
point-of-sale warning signs as well as bottle labeling, women who are pregnant and women
of childbearing age continue to drink and to drink in patterns that significantly increase
risk for FASD among their offspring. Among those women, 55 percent reported using
alcohol in the previous month, 124 percent reported consuming five or more drinks on one
occasion, and 13.1 percent reported either drinking seven or more drinks in a week or
binge drinking. This information is important, because one-half of pregnancies in the
United States are unplanned.
I think this article shows a lot of potential, especially for alcoholic mothers. It shows
exactly what will happen if the mother is drinking alcohol during her pregnancy. It is
important for the mother to take care of herself as best as she can so her baby has a better
chance of being healthy. Im glad I got a chance to learn from this article as well. Last year
in my child development class we did an egg baby project. This was the first time I was
introduced to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. My egg baby had this disease and I got a chance to
learn a little bit about it. Im glad I got to further my knowledge on this subject and I now
know what was left out in high school.

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Alcohol research has made great strides toward understanding the causes and
consequences of prenatal exposure to alcohol since its initial clinical description and future
challenges will further refine recognition.