What Are the Characteristics of FAS

 "My way or no way" Ain’t Misbehavin’ They have difficulty with socialization and skills of independence. Typical 10 year olds… Without an understanding of the physically-based  answer abstract questions cognitive challenges faced by people with Fetal Alcohol Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a lifelong disability,  get along with others, solve problems Related Conditions, typical, normal behaviors can be but “Secondary Characteristics” may occur,  learn inferentially misinterpreted as willful misconduct or deliberate such as: disobedience, when it is often just the opposite.  academic and social  Fatigue, tantrums  physical stamina Information Processing Differences  Irritability, frustration, anger, aggression  generalize information learned from  Fear, anxiety, avoidance, withdrawal, worksheets Due to the way the brain prenatally exposed to shutdown, lying, running away. Developmental age with FAS/E: 10 years going alcohol works, people with Fetal Alcohol Related Trouble at home and/or school  on 6 years… Conditions have difficulty with the following:  Legal trouble, drug/alcohol abuse  learn by doing, experientially  Mental health problems  Input, or taking in of information  mirror and echo words, behaviors  Integration of new information with These secondary conditions are preventable  supervised play, structured play previous learning when parents and professionals understand the  learn from modeled problem solving  Memory, especially short-term memory cognitive challenges associated with a child’s  easily fatigued by mental work  Output, or ability to use information history of prenatal exposure to alcohol. Typical 18 year olds… Children and adolescents prenatally exposed to  on the verge of independence alcohol have difficulty with: Behavioral Expectations of  maintain a job and graduate from school Children and Adolescents with  have a plan for life  Abstract Reasoning – Abstract concepts are FAS/E:  budget own money the invisible foundation that structures  organize our world. Age-appropriate vs. developmental  Cause and Effect Reasoning – Imagination! Developmental age with FAS/E: 18 years going People with Fetal Alcohol Related age-appropriate expectations: on 10 years… Conditions often can’t imagine  needs structure and guidance something they haven’t experienced. Typical 5-year olds...  limited choices of activities  Generalization – They don’t have moveable  Go to school  in the “here and how,” little projection parts in the thinking process; so, when  Follow 3 instructions  giggles, curiosity, frustration you change a piece of the routine for the  Interactive, cooperative play  gets an allowance child, you have created an entirely new  Share routine.  gets organized with help of adults  Take turns  Time – Telling time, feeling the passage of time, associating specific activities to Developmental Age with FAS/E: 5-years going numbers on a clock, cyclical nature of on 2-years... events.  Memory – Especially short-term memory.  Take naps  Follow one instruction They often talk better than they think.  Help mommy They can “talk the talk”  Sit still for 5-10 minutes but can’t “walk the walk.”  Parallel play  Are active www.fasstar.com Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fasstar Information Series Brochure Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and other alcohol FAS in a Nutshell 1100AM1 related birth defects refer to a group of physical and mental birth defects resulting from a woman drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

Four primary diagnostic criteria indicate full Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Ain’t  Growth deficiencies – stunted prenatal and/or  FAS is the leading known cause of postnatal growth. mental retardation.  Permanent brain damage resulting in Misbehavin’ neurological abnormalities, delay in development, intellectual impairment, learning/behavior disorders.  Most individuals with FAS have  Abnormal facial features: short eye openings, normal intelligence. short nose, flat mid-face, thin upper lip, small chin.  Maternal alcohol use during pregnancy.  FAS causes serious social and behavior problems. Some but not all of the primary diagnostic criteria for FAS can lead to such diagnoses as:  Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAE)  Each year in the US 5,000 babies are  Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder born with FAS. (ARND)  Fetal Alcohol Related Conditions (FARC)  Ten times as many are born with  Alcohol Related Birth Defects (ARBD) alcohol related disorders. Alcohol is a teratogen that affects whatever is developing in her fetus when a pregnant woman  No amount of alcohol is known to be Understanding the Behaviors drinks. Whether or not her child has the specific safe during pregnancy. physical characteristics of FAS simply depends on of Children and Adolescents when and how much the other drank alcohol.  Alcohol causes more damage to baby with Fetal Alcohol However, the brain is developing throughout than any other drug. gestation, and prenatal exposure to alcohol at any time during pregnancy can alter the development of Syndrome the baby’s brain.  Fas and related conditions are 100% preventable. By Deb Evensen Prenatal exposure to alcohol causes an “invisible disability” that manifests behaviorally. Many children have the brain damage without all of the For more information on physical dysmorphology of full FAS, which reminds Fetal Alcohol Syndrome others of their disability. And related conditions www.fasstar.com Please visit: “We see what we look for, and www.fasstar.com we look for what we know.” Goethe