Fetal Alcohol Syndrome /Effect

Spirit Lake Consulting, Inc.

Signs of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

• Small head circumference• Low nasal bridge• Epicanthic (eyelid) folds• Short nose• Short midface• Thin, reddish upper lip• Indistinct philtrum (the groove in the

center of the upper lip between the nose and the lip)

What You Need to Know

Typical kinds of talk therapy don’t work. They talk better than they think.

“Should you go into somebody’s apartment?” “No, no, something could happen” but then they do it anyway, despite having found the right words.

What You Need to Know

Failure to predict consequences & connect actions consequence. Common outcome for people with FAS who do not receive intervention is incarceration.

What else doesn’t work?

Time out doesn’t work with FAS kids because they’re supposed to sit and think about what they’ve done.

Tips for Working with FAS Students

Use concrete terms, not words with “double-meanings”. It is better to think easier when giving instructions, as these children have a social-emotional understanding below their age.

Provide an environment with consistency, as they do best with few changes. Use the same words and key phrases when speaking to them.

Tips for Working with FAS Students

Use repetition, as students have short-term memory problems and may need to be retaught.

Adapt a stable routine, making learning less stressful for students, as they know what to expect.

Keep lessons simple, so as not to overwhelm and shutdown the students.

Tips for Working with FAS Students

Be specific and say exactly what you mean. Students have problems with understanding generalizations.Build a structure for these students, giving their world a foundation to depend on.Give constant supervision to provide students with appropriate behavior patterns.

Prevalence of FAS

There are between 1.5 and 2.5 cases of FAS per 1,000 live births in North Dakota each year.10 - 18 children with FAS are born each year in North DakotaThe number of new cases of FAS appears to be unchanged for the past seven yearsDepending on birth and death rates, the population of people with FAS in North Dakota could be as high as 1124

Prevalence of FAS

In the United States, 211 children with FAS are born every dayThe 4-state FAS consortium by MOFAS showed that four children with FAS are born each weekScope of population of FAS cases in North Dakota:

Children: 180-324 Adults: 360-800

Danger of Fetal Alcohol Exposure

… The Center for Disease Control indicates that fetal alcohol exposure is one of the leading causes of birth defects and developmental disorders.

May 2001 studies found that FAE affects from 5 per 10,000 live births to 3 per 1,000 live births

FAS and Mental Retardation

Causes of mental retardation in the US: Prenatal Alcohol Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome

FAS is the leading identifiable cause of mental retardation in the US

Prevention of FAS

If women who already have a child with FAS keep drinking, their next child is 75% more likely to have FAS.

FAS is preventable if drinking is avoided altogether during pregnancy

Prevention of FAS

… However, for each $10,000 spent on caring for FAS cases, North Dakota spends less than $30 on prevention tactics