Fetal Alcohol Exposure.ppt

Fetal Alcohol Exposure NIAAA Social Work Education Module 10K (revised 06/05) Acknowledgement Objectives Understand FAS, ARBD, ARND Understand teratogenic effects of alcohol on developing fetus Learn to identify effects Understand how to intervene refer Outline Background Recognizing FAS, FASD traits Social Work Skills FASD Intervention Adoption/Foster Care Conclusions Why Learn about FAS? Though FAS is a lesser-known Childhood disorder: Many clients experience alcohol problems, may be unaware/underestimating effects Colleagues may be under-trained in subject Potential for significant impact on lives Background Teratogens/Teratogenic Agents: known to be damaging to developing fetus Examples: Radiation Infectious agents (e.g., virus) Chemical agents Drugs/Medications/Alcohol Background (cont.) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Alcohol Related Birth Defects (ARBD) Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ARND) Alcohol Use During Pregnancy No known safe levels of use Affects the fetus during all 3 trimesters Nearly 13% of pregnancy women drink alcohol About 3% of pregnant women drink 2+/day or 5+ per occasion Organic effects are not reversible FAS: .5-2 per 1,000 live births Alcohol in Combination with Other Factors Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is often combined with other risks, such as: Domestic violence Poor nutrition Lack of prenatal care Smoking Use of illicit drugs Alcohol Exposure and Phases of Embryo/Fetal Development Recognizing FAS Physical Growth Patterns: Head circumference below 10th percentile Underweight Height/length shortened FAS Facial Features Fetal Alcohol Syndrome FASD: Brain Regions Affected The corpus callosum The cerebral cortex The hippocampus and cerebellum Mattson, et al., 1994 Recognizing ARND Sleep disturbances Feeding difficulties Reduced attention Decreased visual focus Hyper arousal responses to noise/stimulation Recognizing ARND (cont.) Short attention span Increa