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Last Updated: 05/14/2008
 
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Disability Information - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS/FASD)

 

General Information

Education & Classroom Accommodations

Michigan Resources, Support Groups, Listservs & Websites

National Resources & Websites

Articles Related to this Disability

Medical Information

Books & Videos

Personal Home Pages & Websites

 

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 General Information

Alcohol use during pregnancy may damage a developing fetus. The possibility, extent, and type of damage depends on the amount of alcohol use; the frequency of use; and the fetus's genetic susceptibility and stage of development. Heavy alcohol use (5 or more drinks on one occasion) during pregnancy can cause a child to have growth retardation, facial abnormalities, birth defects, mental retardation, or behavior and learning problems. Lesser amounts of alcohol use during pregnancy may cause any combination of these effects to a milder degree.  Heavy alcohol use during pregnancy can also lead to miscarriage, premature delivery, or stillbirth.  What is the range of alcohol effects? Children with the most severe effects are said to have fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or fetal alcohol abuse syndrome (FAAS). These children have characteristic facial features (a small face, narrow eye openings, a short upturned nose, a flattened groove between the nose and the upper lip, and a thin upper lip), growth retardation, and mental and behavioral problems (central nervous system effects). They may also have birth defects that involve the eyes, ears, heart, urinary tract, or bones. Children with less severe effects from alcohol exposure during fetal development may have one or a combination of these characteristics to a milder degree.  Some experts use the term fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) to include all categories of alcohol effects on a fetus.

 

FASlink is the Canadian Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Internet support, information, advocacy and discussion forum.  http://www.acbr.com/fas/

 

Visit the Washington University Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit's website at: http://depts.washington.edu/fadu/.

 

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 Education & Classroom Accommodations

 

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 Michigan Resources, Support Groups, Listservs & Websites

Q: What is fetal alcohol syndrome?
(Q and A from Detroit Free Press)

 
A: Permanent physical, mental and behavioral birth defects caused by alcohol use during pregnancy.

Q: What characteristics does a child with the syndrome have?

A: Some have small eye shape and physical stature. Some are hyperactive, have learning disabilities and poor reasoning skills. Many are very trusting.

Q: What is the long-term prognosis for such a child?

A: It depends on the severity. Early intervention makes a difference.

Q: Who diagnoses children in metro Detroit?

A: The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor has a clinic and Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit is starting one. For U-M, call 734-936-9777, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays; for Children's call 313-745-4263, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Also visit www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/default.htmcq or www.nofas.org/main/index2.htm
 

(FASD) Families Supporting Families
Support Group for families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, meets 2nd Monday of each month, 6:30 p.m., CARE offices, 31900 Utica Road, Fraser, MI 48026; contact Shelly Bania, (586)541-0033 x222 or sbania@careofmacomb.com.
 
 

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 National Resources & Websites

Parent Support Groups: Fetal Alcohol And Drug Unit Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences University of Washington School of Medicine

 
United States Other International Canada

 

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Willco Building, 6000 Executive Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892-7003
Phone: (800) 729-6686
Phone: (888) NIH-NIDA
Web Address: http://www.niaaa.nih.gov
NIAAA provides pamphlets, brochures, and referral information about alcohol use problems. Information can be obtained by writing or calling or by printing it from the Web site.
 
National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS)
216 G Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 785-4585
Fax: (202) 466-6456
E-mail: information@nofas.org
Web Address: http://www.nofas.org
This is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating birth defects caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy. It also is dedicated to improving the quality of life for those people with fetal alcohol effects and their families. The NOFAS national information clearinghouse provides information, resources, and referrals for people with fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects. The organization also publishes a free quarterly newsletter for families and professionals.

National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
1600 Clifton Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: (770) 488-7150
Fax: (770) 488-7361
Web Address: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/default.htm 
NCBDDD seeks to promote optimal fetal, infant, and child development; prevent birth defects and childhood developmental disabilities; and enhance the quality of life and prevent secondary conditions among children, adolescents, and adults who are living with a disability. The Web site has a wealth of information on relevant topics.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Family Resource Institute
P.O. Box 2525
Lynnwood, WA 98036
Phone: (253) 531-2878
Phone: (800) 999-3429
E-mail: vicky@fetalalcoholsyndrome.org

Web Address: http://www.fetalalcoholsyndrome.org
The FAS Family Resource Institute is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify, understand, and care for people who have been affected by fetal exposure to alcohol and their families, and to prevent FAS in the future. This organization provides a newsletter for people with FAS and their families, in addition to workshops and training programs for families and professionals.
 

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 Articles Related to this Disability

 MI Raising Awareness: Grant to Fight Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - Peggy Miller-Zelinko needs to set a routine for her son, Andrew. When he gets up, when he takes a shower, when he eats, when he does his school work, even when he uses the bathroom needs to be predictable. If she doesn't, Andrew, 12, falls apart.

 

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 Medical Information

MO Springfield to Get Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Clinic - The "problem child" in elementary school is getting early, better therapy these days, thanks to increased awareness of conditions such as attention-deficit disorder. But the true diagnosis for unusual behavior may go overlooked, because medical schools spend little time on the topic: fetal alcohol syndrome.

 

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 Books & Videos List from the University of Washington's Fetal Alcohol & Drug Unit

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: A Guide for Families and Communities. Ann Streissguth. (1997) Brookes Publishing Company.

 

The Challenge of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Overcoming Secondary Disabilities. Ann Streissguth and Jonathan Kanter (Eds.). (1997) University of Washington Press.

 

O'Malley, K. & Streissguth, A. (2002) Clinical intervention and support for children aged zero to 5 years with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and their parents/caregivers. Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development. Click to view the pdf slide presentation that summarizes this article.

 

Developing Successful Interventions for Clients with FAS or ARND; a flyer created by the Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit and sponsored by March of Dimes (2002). Here is the pdf version of this flyer.

 

Follow these links to lists of selected publications:

Neuroanatomic/Neuropsychologic Analyses of FAS/FAE Deficits & Functional MRI of FAS/FAE

Prospective Longitudinal Study on Alcohol and Pregnancy

P-CAP/Birth to 3 Advocacy Model

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Follow-up Project

Interventions with FAS Patients

Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

 

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 Personal Home Pages & Websites

 

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