Marisa Leathers. Kathleen Mccoy. Development Of The...

Marisa Leathers Kathleen McCoy Development of the Exceptional Child April 16, 2017 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Discovered in 1973, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders were recognized from a specific pattern of cardiac, craniofacial, and limb defects between unrelated infants. The one thing the infants all had in common was that they were all born to alcoholic mothers (Bradshaw). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, also referred to as FASD for short, can lead to numerous physical and mental defects and disorders alike. These defects and disorders range from mild to severe, depending on the case. The reason the alcohol effects the fetus like it does, the symptoms to detect it early on, and the types of intervention to help those living with†¦show more content†¦This is when the alcohol begins to damage the liver and the other organs, as well. Alcohol can disrupt the developmental process at any point during the pregnancy and there is no safe amount of it that can, or should, be consumed during the pregnancy, at all. This even includes the time before a woman knows that she is expecting a chi ld. Of course, expectant mothers who binge drink and pregnant women who drink heavily on a regular basis put the fetus at the most risk for a FASD. What is a FASD? Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is an umbrella term used to describe the range of effects that occur when an individual is prenatally exposed to alcohol (FASD). The effects can alter the person’s physical, mental, learning, and behavioral health. The effects tend to vary from child to child, but defects and disorders caused by FASD are irreversible (Mayo Clinic). Because there are so many different types of FASD, there are many different symptoms to indicate a problem. Then, doctors and specialists have to try and decipher what type of FASD it is, how serious it is, and how to ease its effects on the child in order for the child to live as normal of a life as possible. What are the symptoms of a FASD? It can be a very difficult task to diagnose a FASD, especially if the mother involved does not have accurate information about her alcohol usage.