Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alcohol is the leading known preventable cause of mental and physical birth defects in Canada Fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS is a disorder of permanent birth defects that occurs in the offspring of women who drink alcohol during pregnancy. It is unknown whether amount, frequency or timing of alcohol consumption during pregnancy causes a difference in amount of damage done to the fetus. Thus, the current recommendation is not to drink at all during pregnancy.

Alcohol crosses the placental barrier and can stunt fetal growth or weight, create distinctive facial stigmata, damage neurons and brain structures, and cause other physical, mental, or behavioural problems. The part most affected seams to be the brain when cells are not properly formed thus causing massive neurological problems for the developing child. Fetal Alcohol Syndromeis the leading known cause of mental retardation in the Western world. In the United States alone, the FAS prevalence rate is estimated to be between 0.2 and 2.0 cases per 1,000 live births, comparable to or higher than other developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome or Spina Bifida.

When it comes to treatment it is given according the effect and damage done and there is not cure to neurological damage received. Most other physical deformities