How to Manage Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

by Armstrong Louis HR

Foetal alcohol syndrome disorder is quite prevalent in South Africa. FASD denotes a life-long and an irreversible condition caused by the effects of the alcohol on a foetus.

There are many reputed organisations in South Africa that offer Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Programmes or foetal alcohol syndrome training. The main aim of this programme is to increase awareness of the risks and consequences of alcohol usage during pregnancy. You can become a part of this programme to fight against foetal alcohol syndrome.

Different types of FAS or foetal Alcohol Syndrome?

Women who consume alcohol during the time of pregnancy are at a risk to give birth to babies with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The symptoms can be mild or severe. It can cause physical and mental birth defects. There are different types of FASD, depending on the symptoms.

·         Foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

·         Partial foetal alcohol syndrome

·         Alcohol-related neurodevelopment disorder

·         Alcohol-related birth defects

FAS can also cause neurobehavioral disorder that is closely linked with prenatal alcohol exposure. FAS is a severe form of the clinical condition. People who are born with FAS may suffer from problems like low vision, hearing loss, poor memory, lack of attention, and poor abilities to learn and communicate new things. The symptoms may vary from one person to another, but the damage is permanent.

The Symptoms of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

There are many possible symptoms of foetal Alcohol Syndrome like

·         ridge between the upper lip and nose

·         Small and wide-set eyes, thin upper lip.

·         abnormal facial features

·         small head

·         below average the BMI or Body Mass Index

·         not sufficient height and weight

·         hyperactivity

·         lack of concentration

·         lack of coordination

Apart from that, there are other symptoms as well like, delayed mental progress, poor judgement quality, problems in seeing and hearing, intellectual disability, mood swings, deformed fingers etc.

How to Diagnose Foetal Alcohol Syndrome?

You should consult a doctor if you think your child is suffering from FAS or foetal alcoholic syndrome. Your doctor can perform a physical examination to detect FAS. The syndrome is characterised by:

·         slow rate of growth

·         abnormal facial features or bone growth

·         hearing and vision problems

·         slow language acquisition

·         small head size

·         poor coordination

Treatment: There are no medication that specifically treat FAS. However, several medications may address symptoms. It is true that FAS cannot be cured, but there are treatments for some of the symptoms. Some of the effective treatment methods are discussed below:

Medication

·         Anti-depressants are used to treat problems related to mood swings, sadness and a negative attitude.

·         Neuroleptics are used to treat anxiety and aggression

Counselling Therapy

Behavioural training or counselling therapy is very effective for children, especially for school-going kids. Children with FAS may also need academic help. Parents and siblings should affectionately deal with them. Parents can also receive parental training tailored to the needs of their children. Parents can also receive parental training to learn how to best interact with and care for your child.

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Created on Jul 13th 2018 05:03. Viewed 287 times.

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