Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a term that describes a variety of physical and mental birth defects that are caused by women drinking alcohol during pregnancy. FAS is associated with defects such as mental retardation, behavioral maladjustments, central nervous system dysfunction, craniofacial abnormalities, and growth deficiencies (nofas.org). Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAE) describes a less severe case of the defects mentioned above.
FAS is directly linked to alcohol consumption during pregnancy. If you drink beer, liquor, or wine when you are pregnant, your baby could develop FAS or FAE. A baby with FAS can suffer from organ dysfunction, abnormal facial features, and other devastating disorders that will last a lifetime (nofas.org).
There is no cure or treatment for FAS and FAE, but these disorders are 100% preventable when a woman abstains from drinking alcohol during her pregnancy. FAS/FAE is the only cause of birth defects that can be completely prevented. The consumption of even the smallest amount of alcohol can result in FAS. About 1 out of 750 births are FAS sufferers; all races and socioeconomic groups are at equal risk (nofas.org).
The physical, mental, and emotional effects of FAS/FAE are irreversible. Many FAS/FAE sufferers are unable to understand cause and effect relationships and long-term consequences. Institutional and medical costs for one child with FAS are 1.4 million over a lifetime (nofas.org).

What can you do to protect you and your baby from FAS/FAE?
If you are pregnant, attempting to get pregnant, or breast feeding, don't drink. If you just found out you are pregnant and drank alcohol before you found out about your pregnancy, talk to your medical practitioner as soon as possible. Don't take chances with your baby's life! (worldprofit.com)

References:
http://www.nofas.org/main/what_is_FAS.htm
http://www.worldprifit.com.mafas.htm

Links to Helpful Sites on this Topic
Information, Organizations & Support

• Fetal Alchol Syndrome: Phone numbers, addresses, contacts of support and mental health organizations.
  
• Region 3 FAS/E Partnership. Purpose: "To develop, promote and coordinate a comprehensive, culturally sensitive, provincial plan for the prevention, early intervention, and care and support of individuals with FAS/E or alcohol related birth defects." http://www.fas-region3.com
  
• FAS website created by a courageous person with FAS called "FAS OR LIFE?" http://www.jcoote.com
  
• FAS website that offers training, information, and resources on FAS/ARND, http://www.fasstar.com/ Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Support, Training, Advocacy, and Resources
  
• FASworld, www.fasworld.com Toronto, Ontario. "FAS is preventable... avoid alcohol while pregnant." Sept 9th is FAS Day!
  
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Trainer and Consultant: Training, information, and education about FAS/FAE. http://www.consultantfasservices.bigstep.com
  
• FAS Family Resource Institute is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to identify, understand and care for individuals disabled by prenatal alcohol exposure and their families. http://www.fetalalcoholsyndrome.org
  
• The web site of the Family Empowerment Network
  
• FASworld Germany , http://fasalkoholembryopathie.freeservers.com
  
• FAS in Japan, http://hometown.aol.com/psoba/myhomepage/family.html
  in Japanese: http://www.geocities.co.jp/SweetHome.Green/4808
  
• Germany: http://fasalkoholembryopathic.freeservers.com
  
• FAS and FAE Issues in Russia. Alcohol Related Birth Defects and International Adoption. Article by Dr. Jane Aronson
  
• FAS Stars: Photographs and stories of children and adults with FAS and FAE. This site offers a personal perspective that is unique. While these faces appear to be ordinary individuals, the personal reflections shared here reveal the painful devastation that alcohol has inflicted on these precious lives.
  
• Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit dedicated to the prevention, intervention and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE). Our main goals are to conduct research on fetal alcohol and drug effects across the life span, to disseminate information on fetal alcohol and drug effects, to provide consultation for persons of any age thought to be affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol, and to provide training in human behavioral teratology. Our web-site tells about our latest projects, provides links to other FAS/FAE related web-sites, has lists of FAS/FAE resources, and has info on FAS/FAE support groups around the United States and Canada.
  
• A revealing and courageous perspective on being a birth mom to a real cutie "Tyler" an Alcohol-affected child http://members.aol.com/AlphaMom33/birthmom.html Also see a family photo gallery here, http://members.aol.com/AlphaMom33/AlphasHomePage.html
  
• Group of Moms who provide post adoptive support to families who have adopted children who have been prenatally exposed to drugs/alcohol. Website is at: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/4786
  
• The Mining Company Resources on Alcoholism: http://alcoholism.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa070997.htm
  
• Internet Resources for Special Children (IRSC) http://www.irsc.org Site dedicated to communicating information relating to the needs of children with disABILITIES on a global Basis.
  
• Brief Overview of FAS and Effects: http://members.aol.com/creaconinc/fas.html
  
• The Arc's FAS Resource and Materials Guide. Comprehensive site of good information and dozens of links. http://TheArc.org/misc/faslist.html#research..radiology.uiowa.edu/Providers/Publicatoins/MMWR/04.07.95/four.html
  
• Therapeutic Games for Cognitively Impaired Adolescent and Adult Sexual Offenders and Children with Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour. Commercial site devoted to marketing a therapeutic game for adolescent sexual offenders who either have FAS/FAE or are cognitively impaired. Located at: http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/dhunter
  
• The Society of Special Needs Adoptive Parents, 1150 409 Granville Street Vancouver BC V6C 1T2 Phone 604-687-3114 FAX 604-687-3364 has a book entitled "FAS A Guide for Daily Living, Parenting Children Affected by FAS" 2nd Edition Revised and Expanded, edited by Sara Graefe with Forward by Dr. Julianne Conry, produced in 1998 in English and French. It sells for $10.00 a copy plus shipping total $13.00. Reduced rates for bulk orders. Email snap@snap.bc.ca Call Dorothy at 604-687-3114.
  

Education

• Alcohol, the Fetus and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: An education misdirected? A college paper by Kirk Van-Beer
  
• Book: Recognizing and Managing Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects: A Guidebook. Author: Brenda McCreight. Cost: $16.95. Available from CWLA, c/o CSSC, 130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818-7816 when ordering ask for stock # 607-0. Tel: (800) 407-6273. Web site for the Child Welfare League of America, Inc., is http://www.cwla.org
  
• Film: The National Film Board of Canada has produced a video entitled "David with FAS" The video costs $26.95, which includes public performance rights. For more information, call the NFB toll free at 1-800-267-7710 and request a copy of ZOOM IN, their free semi-annual newsletter of new videos. Or visit the NFB website and browse the 9000+ collection by title, subject, director, etc.
  

Research Sites

• At East Tennessee State University, Todd Scarbrough, Uta Schambra, and Mike Woodruff have done FAS research using mice in order to study the behavioral and teratological effects of ethanol in exposed offspring. Mice whose mothers received varying doses of alcohol on gestational day 8 showed similar behavioral deficits and vacuolized, hypocellular brains.http://kpt1.tricon.net/Personal/todd/fas/fas.html
  
• FAS site run by researchers at SUNY. http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol-info/FAS/FAS.html NOTE: Some readers loudly disagree with the author of this site, if you are in dispute of his statements, contact Dr. Hanson directly at hansondj@potsdam.edu
  
• Methyl Etyl Ketone, Fetal Neurotoxity, Microencephaly and Mental Retardation: http://seamless.com/alexanderlaw/txt/article/utero.shtml