What you Need to Know About Students with FASD
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FASD is brain damage or dysfunction caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol results in challenges to learning and functioning. Although individuals may learn many coping strategies, the brain damage or dysfunction is permanent.
The reasons for the variability in brain damage or dysfunction with individuals affected by FASD include the following:
- The time during pregnancy that alcohol was ingested can affect the fetus’ growth in the areas that were developing at that time. Also, the amount of alcohol during that time is a large factor.
- Differing susceptibility of developing fetuses to the effects of alcohol, leading to a distinct pattern of neurological impairment, hence why it is a spectrum disorder. Further information at: www.norlien.org/index
- Each mother has her own personal factors that affect alcohol, metabolism, including her food intake and overall physical health during pregnancy
FASD is an encompassing term used to describe a wide spectrum of disabilities that affect individuals of mothers who drank heavily during pregnancy. This spectrum includes pFAS (partial fetal alcohol syndrome) ARND (alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder) ARBD (alcohol-related birth defects) Individuals with FAS may have a difficult time learning and controlling their behavior.
Difficulties may show up in combinations and with a different severity and will differ on an individual basis. These difficulties include:
The reasons for the variability in brain damage or dysfunction with individuals affected by FASD include the following:
- The time during pregnancy that alcohol was ingested can affect the fetus’ growth in the areas that were developing at that time. Also, the amount of alcohol during that time is a large factor.
- Differing susceptibility of developing fetuses to the effects of alcohol, leading to a distinct pattern of neurological impairment, hence why it is a spectrum disorder. Further information at: www.norlien.org/index
- Each mother has her own personal factors that affect alcohol, metabolism, including her food intake and overall physical health during pregnancy
FASD is an encompassing term used to describe a wide spectrum of disabilities that affect individuals of mothers who drank heavily during pregnancy. This spectrum includes pFAS (partial fetal alcohol syndrome) ARND (alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder) ARBD (alcohol-related birth defects) Individuals with FAS may have a difficult time learning and controlling their behavior.
Difficulties may show up in combinations and with a different severity and will differ on an individual basis. These difficulties include:
- Thinking and reasoning
- Learning from experience |
- Understanding behavioral consequences
- Physiological or physical impairments. |