Which of the kids above have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders? It's pretty hard to tell isn't it? Emerging studies indicate that one in every hundred babies born in North America have been effected by exposure to alcohol prenatally and through breast milk. Most of these babies are not diagnosed because they appear to be "normal" at birth but as they grow things like hyperactivity, learning disabilities (especially with math) and behavioral problems begin to show up. They can have IQ's ranging from below average to in the gifted range. They can look perfectly normal but they can not control their impulses like other kids can. They can't learn from the consequences of their actions, so many of them get into the same difficulties over and over again. They have a lot of difficulty controlling their emotions and so they can be very explosive at times. Many of these kids go undiagnosed and never get the help they need because it is often an invisible disability.
There is no cure for FASD, but early intervention, a stable home environment, occupational therapies, special educational programs and medical care can make a huge difference. The kids that fall through the cracks end up in trouble with the law because they can't form cause/effect relationships and they are impulsive. They are also very easily influenced by more sophisticated criminals.
The prognosis is terrible for these vulnerable kids and adults when there are no supports available to either them or their parents/caregivers. These kids are incarcerated at a very high rate, they have a 90% risk of developing a Mental Illness, they die from violence, accidents and suicides at a much higher rate than the general population and they have a very high rate of addictions because many of them were born addicts.
The fastest growing risk groups for having babies born with FASD are teenage mothers and professional women in their 30's and 40's. One does not have to be an alcoholic to give birth to an alcohol effected child. You simply have to drink during pregnancy. One drink a week causes a drop in IQ of anywhere between 7 and 14% which can make the difference between whether or not a child can do highschool math.
FASD is the leading cause of mental retardation, incarceration, homelessness and violent crime in North America. Studies done in both Canada and the United States confirm that 80% of repeat violent offenders have histories consistent with fetal alcohol exposure. However,
FASD IS 100% PREVENTABLE!
Some doctors continue to tell us that it is ok to drink moderately during pregnancy! Let's get out there and spread the word so we can put a stop to this WMD!
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