Yesterday, we talked about how fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) has been linked to a number of serious physical side effects. Today, we’ll be discussing how FASD can also cause behavioral and learning problems.
Fetal alcohol syndrome spectrum disorder can occur if a pregnant woman drinks alcohol. The alcohol she consumes not only affects her, but her developing fetus, since alcohol travels from her body to the fetus through the umbilical cord.
If alcohol reaches the fetus, it can cause a host of physical problems, including stunted growth, lifetime hearing and vision issues, heart and kidney problems, and possibly even early onset dementia and autoimmune conditions.
FASD can also cause learning and behavioral problems, including:
- Learning disabilities and problems in school, especially mathematics
- Lower IQ and intellectual problems
- Attention problems
- Problems with language and speech
- Memory problems
- Hyperactivity
- Problems with judgment and reasoning
- Antisocial behavior
These issues can make it hard for children to FASD to succeed in school. These symptoms can make it difficult for adults with the disorder to find and keep jobs.
Such issues can make it hard for people to live life. Some people with FASD are so impaired that they can’t adequately care for themselves and live in group homes and need different types of assistance.
Sadly, it also appears that FASD might also be connected to other problems. Researchers have found that around one-third of young people in a Western Australian juvenile detention center have FASD. Officials speculate that this might be occurring because FASD produces problems with judgment, but vow to acknowledge the impact of FASD when they interact with these young people.
And even though alcohol has harmed people with FASD, other studies have found that teens and young adults with the disorder are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs. FASD illustrates that alcohol can harm people at any age.
