Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

[prmenrs, RN]

I'm sure this is not the best way to move a post, but I wanted to get this student a response.

smilez84

Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2004

Posts: 2

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I'm a new nursing student and were doing research on Fetal alcohol syndrome and i'm wondering has anyone ever come across a case of it before and how did they deal with it.

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

I have cared for older children with Fetal Alcohol effects, but not a newborn with the syndrome. The ones I cared for were developmental delayed in cognitive and fine motor skills, were short tempered and tended to be aggressive. So sad that a child's life is so cruelly affected by someone else's ignorance or disregard. My cousin's daughter is pregnant now, 2nd trimester, has never been to a doctor and is on drugs. Not FAS, but the same type thing and, IMHO, this is child abuse.

[dosamigos76, RN]

What kind of information are you looking for specifically? Here are some links:

http://www.worldprofit.com/mafas.htm

http://www.well.com/user/woa/fsfas.htm

http://www.nofas.org/

http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/PsychologyToday/1993/01/01/6652?extID=10038&data=fetal_alcohol_syndrome

http://www.acbr.com/fas/

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/fetalalcoholsyndrome.html

http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol-info/FAS/FAS.html

http://www.acbr.com/fas/j.htm fetal alcohol effect info

http://www.arbi.org/

http://w3.ouhsc.edu/fas/

hope this helps

Cheryl

[SmilingBluEyes]

Are you asking us as nurses? As foster parents? Family members? I am not sure what you are looking for. Can you please be a bit more specific? Thank you!

[BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN]

From nursing point of view...if we suspect it is FAS, usually the child is odd looking with all the characteristics...flat bridge nose, wide eyes, etc. We call in genetics and then social work. Usually these kids don't require any special care unless there are drugs involved also, then they are treated as such. Do we confront the parent, not really, but it usually comes out when they are spoken to by the team.

Down the road, they usually have mental handicaps, lag behind, etc.

[Jo Dirt]

From nursing point of view...if we suspect it is FAS, usually the child is odd looking with all the characteristics...flat bridge nose, wide eyes, etc. We call in genetics and then social work. Usually these kids don't require any special care unless there are drugs involved also, then they are treated as such. Do we confront the parent, not really, but it usually comes out when they are spoken to by the team.

Down the road, they usually have mental handicaps, lag behind, etc.

We were discussing FAS in my developmental psychology class and were told that inbreeding by close family relatives often produces many of the same FAS traits and health problems.

Also, he mentioned with FAS that the mother doesn't necessarily have to be an alcoholic, but an occasional drink is very dangerous, especially during the embryonic stage, which is the most important stage in the fetal cycle.