Want to Prevent Mental Retardation? Then Don't Let Someone Do This . . .

More than 10 percent of all children have been exposed to it (while in the mother’s womb). All will suffer varying degrees of effects ranging from mild learning disabilities, to major physical, mental, and intellectual impairment. These effects will last their entire lifetime.

Why Does This Happen? Most people want to have healthy, happy kids. They simply do not understand the damage they can cause these little ones with even one drink of alcohol.

Even small amounts of alcohol can have a devastating effect on a growing child. Most sane people would never give any child an alcoholic beverage, but if you drink while you are pregnant, your baby is also consuming that drink.

Alcohol is a teratogenic – a substance that causes birth defects. Its molecules are very small and easily pass through the placenta into the fetus’s bloodstream. If taken early in pregnancy, it poses a great threat to
organ development. If taken later in pregnancy, it poses a great threat to brain and central nervous development. At any time, it increases the chances of fetal death. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is one of the biggest causes of mental retardation in the world.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy. FAS is the third most common birth defect and the number one preventable cause of mental impairment in the Western World. One in 750 babies is born with FAS. Some of its symptoms are retardation, small head, tremors, and abnormalities of the face, limbs, heart, and brain. Children with FAS may experience problems such as poor memory, impaired learning, reduced attention span, impulsive behavior, and poor problem solving. They may have an extremely difficult time getting along with others or understanding proper social behaviors.

Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) may occur three to four times more often than FAS but isn’t recognized as often. These unfortunate kids may have low birth weight, irritability and permanent mental impairment.

Think about how hard it is for parents and family members when someone suffers from either of these conditions, not to mention the lifetime of trials the children themselves have to endure. These can be challenging children to raise. They require more patience, energy, time, and financial and community resources. All of these difficulties are 100% preventable.

More Helpful Resources:

SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence:
fasdcenter.samhsa.gov

Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention FAS Prevention Team
www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas


National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism (NIAAA): www.niaaa.nih.gov/

National Organization on Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome (NOFAS): www.nofas.org

National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and
Drug Information: ncadi.samhsa.gov

These sites link to many other Web sites.


Or contact Pat Smith
Prevention Specialist
Weber Human Services
801-625-3792
Fax 801-778-6827
pats@weberhs.org

Baby Your Baby Program 1-800-826-9662
Utah Fetal Alcohol Coalition    

 References

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705342438/Alcohol-and-pregnancy-do-not-mix-Shurtleff-says.html

“Access to Health” Green Edition by Rebecca J. Donatelle, Pearson Publishing,  pg. 383

“An Invitation to Health” The Brief 2010-2011 Edition by Dianne Hales. Wadsworth Cengage Publishers, pg 348-349.