September 7, 1997 I m&nMfk ' I O
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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome devastates Indian families
We have all seen smiling children, children whose happiness and innocence make us
long to protect them. But for children suffering from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS,) it is
too late to protect them from the damage done to their minds and bodies because of their
mother's alcohol drinking. Their smiling faces will look a little bit different.
According to the Surgeon General of the United States (Department of Health and Hu
man Services, 1 98 1 ), no amount of alcohol consumed by a pregnant woman can be consid
ered 'safe.' As little as two drinks a day can put the child at risk for a number of different
symptoms. Studies have shown that even 100 grams a week (roughly the size of a dixie
cup) can affect the size of the child. The most dangerous form of drinking is 'binge drink
ing' which can cause more brain damage to the unborn child than drinking the same amount
during a drawn out period.
period in regards to the effects on physical growth. Alcoholic intake by a mother during
the last third of her pregnancy the period that is most visible, can be terribly damaging
to her unborn child.
Because an adequate educational or vocational program has not been found that can
fulfill the FASFAE child's needs, the child is often prone to a variety of social problems
later in life. The fine motor problems become more evident as the FAS child grows. Late
adolescent FAS victims often suffer from emotional problems and high activity. With a
poor IQ and poor social skills, the FASFAE child has difficulty finding his or her place in
society during the teenage years and as a result has few friends, becomes isolated and
lonesome. The FASFAE teenager or adult may be prone to substance abuse and other
criminal behavior, and sometimes has bad sexual behavior.
Still relatively new
Binge drinking has been linked to facial defects found in FAS. Researchers have also
found that facial defects are often the result of exposure to alcohol during the first three
months of pregnancy, especially during the first two months.
When a woman drinks alcohol during the first three months she is pregnant, she is expos
ing her unborn baby to a teratogen at a time when the major organs are being developed.
The growth of a child is affected by the mother's drinking of alcohol during all stages of
the pregnancy, but especially so during the first and third trimester.
Even a little bit of alcohol consumed on a weekly basis during the first three months can
put the child at risk of being undersized. Research indicates poor vision, a common symp
tom of FAS, results from alcohol consumption during the third to six month of pregnancy.
Alcohol causes the lens and corneas to become misshapen and the optical nerves to be
come underdeveloped. The affects of damaged sensory organs in FAS cases can last well
past adolescence and possibly be permanent.
'Failure to thrive'
An FAS child is extremely small. He is short in stature and extremely thin and 'small
boned.' His condition is termed by researchers as 'failure to thrive.' In other words: no
matter how well he is fed and regardless of how much he exercises he will be undersized
throughout his childhood. Steady consumption of alcohol increases the risk and the seri
ousness of FASFAE. It has been clinically shown that children of mothers who quit drink
ing during the fourth to sixth month are smaller at birth and have lower intelligence ratings
than the children of mothers who quit drinking during their first three months. FAS chil
dren often experience problems growing in behavior as well as in body. Along with 'fail
ure to thrive,' many FAS children experience problems walking and talking.
FASFAE children experience behavioral problems ranging from hyperactivity to men
tal retardation because alcohol slows down the
brain's development. Research shows us that alco
hol slows down the central breathing activity of the
fetus through its initial effect on the brain. Alcohol
can have a permanent effect on the outer layer of the
brain as well as on the senses (touch, taste, sight,
and hearing).
What this means is that children will suffer from a
long list of mental and behavioral setbacks. Due to
alcohol's effect on the brain, the FAS child will show
difficulty in movement and balance. He or she will
tend to have a limited attention span, will be impul
sive, and won't be afraid to do what other children
are normally hesitant to do.
Despite the fact that some FAE children tend to
talk a lot, the FASFAE child may show poor verbal
understanding and speech disorders.
Delays in bodily growth are one of the most com
monly seen symptoms in FAS and delays in mental
growth are one of the most serious and long-lasting
symptoms of FAS. Together, these are the two most
frequently observed symptoms of FAS.
Crucial for brain development
The last three months of pregnancy are a crucial
period for fetal brain development and, along with
the first three months, is an extremely susceptible
FAS is entirely preventable
Because FASFAE children grow up with their behavioral patterns and intellect not prop
erly developed they become poorly equipped for most types of work. FAS victims are
portrayed as people who are unable or have great difficulty telling time, knowing the dif
ference between right and wrong, and knowing how to handle money. All these factors
make it almost impossible for them to live life on their own. The burden is on the govern
ment or their family to provide for these FAS people for rest of their lives. They lack
proper development in areas such as emotions, communications, and learning. The stan
dard school curriculum is not suited to meet their needs. The cost of other programs is
great. A test program in California cost an estimated $15,000 per student, and no educa
tional system has yet to prove it is completely effective for FAS children.
Dr. Anne Streissguth writes: "No longer can FAS be viewed as just a childhood disabil-ity-the
changing needs of this population must be considered as they enter the adolescent
years."
Every year around 7,500 FAS babies are born into the United States. Countless more
will be diagnosed as being FAE. Many of these FAS babies are Native Americans. One
U.S. study showed that the chances of a child being FAS were 30 times greater for native
Americans and Alaskan Natives than white children.
The terrible fact of this 'plague' is that it is entirely preventable. The children that are
born to suffer in this world with FAS and FAE would have been spared had their parents
stopped drinking during pregnancy.
Many of us find an easy solution in alcohol, but in life, there are no 'easy solutions,' and
the side effects of many of our 'easy solutions' may live and affect our lives as well as
surrounding society for years to come. Reprinted from Indian Life, Volume 18, Number 1.
If you are concerned about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and would like more information,
please contact the Chemical Dependency program at (503) 879-2026.
Period of
thg Period of the Embryo (in weeks) Period of the Fetus (in weeks)
1-2 3 4 5 6 7 8 12 16 I 20-36 I 38
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