Long Term Effects of Intrauterine Alcohol Exposure
Drinking while pregnant is a grave mistake. Alcohol has a tremendous impact on the developing fetus. Exposure to alcohol while in utero can result in profound and lasting handicaps, including mental retardation that cannot be reversed.
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Characteristics
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An individual who was exposed to alcohol while in utero, and who subsequently suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), will likely have a smaller head and a smaller brain than those not exposed to alcohol while in the womb. Mental retardation, in varying degrees, can be an outcome of FAS, as can hyperactivity, poor coordination and abnormal facial features.
Other physical characteristics of someone suffering from FAS include underdeveloped outer ears (pinna), small eye openings, flat face, a missing groove that should be under the nose and above the lip, a short nose, thin upper lips and short stature. Healthy babies are generally, but not always, born with two creases in the palm of their hands. Sometimes only one crease, the Simian crease, is present. This is associated with FAS and Down syndrome.
Mental and Physical Limitations
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Intrauterine alcohol exposure results in a myriad of problems including learning difficulties, impulsive behavior, bone problems, hearing defects and damage to the organs. An FAS child may have a hard time learning how to walk and be extremely difficult to toilet train.
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Other Concerns
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Children suffering from FAS may also have heart problems, vision problems (myopia), renal problems and malformed Eustachian tubes, which cause frequent earaches.
Permanent or Temporary?
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According to a study done by the Department of Pediatrics at Rittberg Hospital of the German Red Cross in Berlin, there remains a lot to be learned about the long-term effects and development of FAS. One study showed that short stature and being underweight persists in boys suffering from FAS 10 years after their birth, whereas the body weight of FAS females tends to normalize in time. The facial malformations tend to diminish with time but mental retardation does not go away.
Adults with FAS
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Adults with FAS have many of the same problems that children with FAS have because of their limited mental capabilities and inability to comprehend cause and effect. Many have issues with alcohol, mental health problems and difficulty maintaining custody of their children because of their problems and limitations.
Outcome
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FAS is the greatest cause of mental retardation in the United States, although it is a completely preventable developmental disability. When a pregnant woman drinks, she is putting her fetus at extreme risk and may saddle the child with lifelong mental and physical impairments..
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Resources
- Photo Credit Simian Crease, Lifespan.org
