Developing Through the Life Span Essay

In the article “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome- A Birth Defect Recognized Worldwide,” by Kerstin Stromland used strong clinical evidence supported by various studies to bring attention to the fact that alcohol consumed during pregnancy severely damages the neurological and physiological development of the child.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is caused by chronic alcohol use during pregnancy, but even occasional or binge drinking can result in birth defects (FAE and ARND). When mothers drink alcohol, the fetus receives a high concentration of alcohol, because alcohol can easily pass through the placenta, and fetuses can’t handle it as well as adults can. The worst problems are caused when mothers drink during the first trimester, because that is when most of the baby’s brain development occurs. However, there are still some developments during the second and third trimesters, so drinking even just an average amount of alcohol at any time can cause damage to the

Consuming alcohol while pregnant can have a considerable life-long impact on the child, but despite this being common knowledge, fetal alcohol syndrome, FASD, continues to be a prevalent cause of developmental delays. Several social and environmental conditions can help predict the likelihood of a woman consuming alcohol while pregnant. Depending on many factors, the severity of the impact varies; however, when a child does have FASD, they face serious lifelong impairments and deficits. There are many interventions that may help children with these impacts. Yet, much more research and time is needed to analyze results.

There are many defects that can happen to your child when you’re drinking while pregnant. There is a disability collectively known as fetal alcohol syndrome disorder. Alcohol also increases the risk factors such as increased risk for other pregnancy problems such as miscarriage, still birth, and preterm birth (Centers for disease control and preventions). Drinking while pregnant can affect the baby even at the beginning of the pregnancy sometimes even before the mother knows she is pregnant. Fetal Alcohol is completely preventable if the

Consuming alcohol during pregnancy results in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). The spectrum of FAS ranges from barely detectable to severe functional and cognitive birth defects. In the United States approximately 9.1 out of 1,000 live births exhibit some degree of FAS spectrum. Although excessive consumption of alcohol is considered a human teratogen the biochemical mechanism and the developmental

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a disorder that occurs when a mother consumes alcohol while pregnant. Individuals with FAS may face many problems such as, bad vision, hearing impairments, memory difficulty, communicative hurdles, and much more (Bergen & Yu, 2012). In began in 1981 when expecting mothers were advised not to drink while pregnant (Alcohol Policies Project, n.d). However, is 1995 4 times more mothers were consuming alcohol in comparison to a few years earlier in 1991 (Alcohol Policies Project, n.d). In addition, 52 percent of women ages 18-34 claimed to have been consuming alcohol while pregnant (Alcohol Policies Project, n.d). The reason for a mothers decision to drink is unknown, it could possibly be that mothers have read reports

Alcohol is known as one the most dangerous teratogens. Every time a pregnant woman drinks, she allows alcohol to enter her blood stream and make its way into the placenta. Unlike the mother, the fetus is unable to break down alcohol that makes the blood alcohol level of the fetus the same or higher than the mother (Burk, 2013). Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are considered some of the most serious consequences of maternal drinking during pregnancy. Children can exhibit physical abnormalities such as a flat mid-face, a thin upper lip, a smooth groove between the nose and upper lip, along with growth retardation, and cognitive difficulties. The affected children also have cognitive difficulties which include intelligence, language, memory, and learning (Wacha & Obrzut, 2007).

Teratogens such as alcohol and tobacco could potentially affect normal fetal developmental causing developmental disorders and diseases.5,6

Teratogens refers to any environmental agent, such as dose, heredity, negative influences and age that can cause damage during the prenatal period (Berk, 2014). Serious defects can occur during the embryonic period where the “ground work is laid for all body structures and organs” (Berk, 2014, p. 63). During the fetal period teratogens can do minimal damage; however, organs such as brain, eyes, ears, teeth and genitals can still be affected (Berk, 2014).

B. F. Skinner thought of personality in terms of the effects external stimuli have on behavior. This emphasized the mutual interaction of the person or "the organism" with its environment. An example of this is something a baby learns. If a baby cries and receives attention, it teaches the baby that in order to get attention they need to cry. Princess Diana learned that external stimuli have a huge effect on her behavior.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) occurs when a woman consumes alcohol during their pregnancy. The birth defects of Fetal alcohol syndrome are mental retardation, and growth problems, mainly of the face of the infant. Studies have shown that human and animal results vary, regarding in utero alcohol exposures across individuals. The varying results depend on many factors, including the amount of alcohol consumed, body mass, genetics, and age of the mother. Extensive research has shown a range of behavioral, common sense, and physical impairments in children exposed to FAS. The ability to learn, language and speech delays, emotional and behavioral problems, and antisocial behavior have also been reported. To note, most studies have been performed

On average, one in thirteen pregnant women have admitted to consuming one or more alcoholic beverage in their previous thirty days of pregnancy (“Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders”). Though one drink may seem miniscule in the scope of an eight to nine month pregnancy, any amount of alcohol exposure can be detrimental to a developing child, leading to life-changing disorders such as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Fetal alcohol syndrome, a severe potential consequence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, starts when a pregnant woman drinks an alcoholic beverage according to Mayo Clinic (“Fetal Alcohol Syndrome”). Alcohol enters the bloodstream and then can travel throughout the body. Alcohol

The search for specific maternal risk factors for fetal alcohol syndrome has been researched for more than two decades. The most obvious risk factor for FAS is alcohol. The more alcohol that a mother drinks during pregnancy, the greater the chance of the baby having the abnormalities and symptoms of FAS when born. The baby may be born with abnormalities such as microcephaly, craniofacial defects, and behavioral problems. The abnormalities that the baby is born with is dependent on the amount of alcohol that the mother drinks while pregnant (May et al).

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) refers to a group of physical and mental birth defects resulting from a women’s drinking alcohol heavily or at crucial stages during pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was first named and treated in the late 1960's. This condition results from the toxic effect of alcohol and its chemical factors on the developing fetus. FAS is the leading cause of mental retardation occurring in 1 out of every 750 births. The frequency of FAS occurs about 1.9 times out of every 1000 births according to the latest figures, and minor effects can be seen in up to 20% of pregnancies per year. This number changes drastically for women who are clearly alcoholics. As high as 29 children out of every 1000 births will suffer from FAS

Important stages of pregnancy: Pregnancy is counted from the first day of the mother 's last period. Important development immediately takes place after fertilisation of egg and sperm cells. It divides into many cells in the first week, which forms a zygote made out of 100 to 150 cells that are already differentiating. In the second week, the zygote is then changed to an embryo and it sticks to the uterine wall. This process takes up to nine months to form and develop a baby.