Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
... Michael Bradley June 17, 2002 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome As most people are aware of the consumption of alcohol is not a very healthy activity to dabble around with. It is one thing to contaminate ones own body with alcohol, but it is a whole other issue when someone poisons their own body plus the body of a defenseless individual at the same time. This is the case for the victims of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a lifelong yet completely preventable set of physical, mental, and neurobehavioral birth defects associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy" (Streissguth 13). When a woman drinks alcohol while she is pregnant she is hurting her body, but more importantly she is putting her child at risk to being born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. There are some very important facts to know about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome as well as treatment and education available for children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. "As many as twelve thousand infants are born each year with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome" (Greenspan 6). The best thing to know about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is that it is a preventable birth defect. ... "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the leading known cause of mental retardation and birth defects in people" (Greenspan 8). "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Symmes 2 produces irreversible physical and mental damage, and it crosses all socio-economic groups and effects all races" (Greenspan 11). ... "The cost for one Fetal Alcohol Syndrome child is estimated to be two million dollars over a lifetime and costs the American taxpayer more than three hundred and twenty-one million dollars every year" (Ellis 63). These huge sums of money could be saved if women simply made the decision to not consume alcohol during their pregnancy. Some women feel that moderate drinking may be okay, but the reality is that no amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is known to be safe (Dorris 15). Just as important as knowing the hard facts of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, is the educating of the children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.