Skabewis

by Marty Curry
Kathe Martin, RN, BS, CLC-Maternal-Child Services Coordinator

(This is Part two of a three part series on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder)

For children who have been exposed to alcohol in-utero, the consequences can be highly varied. Depending on the amount of alcohol consumed and the period of gestational development, effects can range from mild learning disabilities to major physical, emotional and intellectual impairments. Many of these kids appear fairly normal and, in fact, may outgrow the classic physical characteristics by the time they are in their teens. They do not, however, outgrow the intellectual and behavioral deficits and often are unable to meet the expectations of family and society.

During the school years these disabilities become more obvious as children lag behind in learning and in developing age-appropriate social skills. Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder are most likely to have problems with math, tasks involving memory, gross motor coordination (“clumsy”), organizational skills, problem solving, time and money concepts, peer relationships and attentiveness.

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