And the effects on the brain of the developing fetus

-Definition of FAS
-Features of FAS children
-The way FAS affects the brain of a developing fetus
-Diagnosis
-Conclusion
Fas is the leading known
cause of mental retardation
Fas produces physical and
mental damage which may
never be reversed
Fas affects all social economic
and racial groups equally
Fas costs the American
taxpayers over 321 million
dollars per year.
The best time for an Fas patient to be
diagnosed is at birth or sometime soon
after. As Fas children grow their
obvious symptoms tend to fade or
disappear. Many Fas children are
diagnosed with other disorders such as
ADD (attention deficit disorder) or
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive
disorder.
It is important for doctors to determine
an Fas child’s prognosis early in their
life. The sooner that medical, clinical,
or educational interventions can be
made the better the outcome will be in
the long run.
 Of Children with FAS

Microcephaly- when the

circumference of the head is
smaller then normal (usually
only 5% of cases
Eye Slits
Flat Nasal Bridge
Ridges above upper lip
Thinned upper lip
Flattening of the mid-face
Alcohol is a teratogen. A
teratogen is a toxic which has
been proven to be harmful to
the development of a babies
brain. Consumption of alcohol
during pregnancy can do
damage to many areas of the
brain. It is hard to pinpoint
exactly what area is being
damaged. It depends
completely on when the
alcohol is being consumed and
also what part of the babies
brain is developing at that
time.
 Continued

A babies brain is always venerable

to damage from alcohol
consumption because the brain and
central nervous system are
developing throughout the entire
pregnancy. Not all damage from
alcohol exposure can be detected
by a brain scan. The areas on the
brain that can be affected are
sometimes so small that doctors
can’t even detect them. Although
these defects are plenty large to
cause significant disabilities.
 Continued

Alcohol Exposure during different pregnancy stages

First Trimester- Alcohol affects the organization as well as migration of brain
cells.
Second Trimester- Heavy drinking causes more clinical features of FAS
Third Trimester- The hippocampus is damaged. This leads to problems with
auditory and visual information (reading and math)
 Continued

Below are the areas in the brain

which FAS affects:
Corpus Callosum: This is the region
of the brain which passes
information from one side to the
other (left to right)
Hippocampus- This area of the brain
helps with the ability to remember
things
Hypothalmus: This area of the
brain is in charge of controlling
appetite as well as pain sensation,
emotions and temperature.
Cerebellum- This area controls the
coordination of the body as well as
the movement. It also controls
memory and behavior.
Frontal Lobes- Controls judgment
and impulse.
Children with fetal alcohol syndrome tend to endure other
related disorders which result from damage done to the
prefrontal cortex area of the brain. This is the part of the brain
which controls “executive functions”

Executive Functions which are affected FAS

-socially inappropriate behavior. Child acts as if they were
drunk.
-The inability to figure things out for ones self
-The inability to remember previous consequences from past
decisions
-Exaggerated emotions
Difficulty controlling sexual urges, especially in a social situation
-Talking to his/her self out loud. Always looking for feedback
-Difficulty remembering things
-Needs to be reminded of the task at hand frequently.
-Roller coaster emotions.
It is obvious that Drinking during pregnancy has proven to
be harmful to the health of their baby, yet thousands of
mothers drink regularly during pregnancy. Each year
millions of unnecessary American tax dollars are being
spent to help children with FAS. If women didn’t drink
during pregnancy this money would never need to be spent
in the first place and there wouldn’t be children with FAS.
This is a completely preventable disease that hopefully will
become a pastime in the our future.
-www.nofas.org
-www.fas.com
www.cdc.gov
www.come-over.tofas.com