FAS QUIZ
Test your knowledge of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

(Choose just one answer for each question)
1) What is the leading known cause of mental retardation today?
a Down Syndrome
b Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
c Fetal Alcohol Effects
d Cerebral Palsy
e Spina Bifida

2) What percentage of women drink alcohol before realizing they are pregnant?
a 10%
b 20%
c 35%
d 50%
e 75%

3) What percentage of persons with FAS/FAE attain independence in living and working?
a 10%
b 18%
c 35%
d 53%
e 67%

4) Which alcoholic beverage contains the greatest amount of alcohol?
a A 12 oz. can of beer
b A 5 oz. glass of wine
c One shot of liquor
d A 12 oz. wine cooler
e All of the above

5) What is the most debilitating aspect of prenatal alcohol exposure?
a Memory deficits
b Growth retardation
c Lack of impulse control
d Mental retardation, IQ below 70
e Attention Deficit Disorder

6) How much does treatment for FAS cost US taxpayers each year?
a Almost $1,000,000.00 each year
b Almost $2,000,000.00 each year
c Almost $100,000,000.00 a year
d Almost $2,000,000,000.00 a year
e Almost nothing, as expenses are incurred by private insurance
7) Which of the following groups of women are at higher than average risk for drinking during pregnancy?
a Women with a college education
b Unmarried women
c Female students
d Women in households with greater than $50,000 annual income
e All of the above

8) Of the secondary disabilities associated with FAS/FAE, which one is most common?
a Mental illness
b Trouble in school
c Trouble with the law
d Abuse of alcohol or other drugs
e Inappropriate sexual behavior

9) Which of the following are protective factors for preventing secondary disabilities in FAS/FAE?
a IQ below 70
b Early diagnosis
c Eligibility for disability services
d Stable home environment
e All of the above

10) In which of the following ways does alcohol affect a man's ability to father healthy children?
a Lower levels of testosterone
b Reduced mobility of healthy sperm at time of conception
c Increased risk of inherited tendency toward alcoholism
d Possible adverse effects on DNA in sperm before conception
e All of the above

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© 1999 Teresa Kellerman, Coordinator
FAS Community Resource Center in Tucson, AZ
Visit our web site at http://come-over.to/FASCRC

Answer key and explanation are on separate sheet.

No answer key? More questions?
Email Teresa at tkellerman@mindspring.com


FAS QUIZ Answer Key

1 b     2 d     3 a     4 e     5 c     6 d     7 e     8 a     9 e    10 e



FAS QUIZ Explanation of Answers

1) What is the leading known cause of mental retardation?
Answer: According to the National Organization of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the leading known cause of mental retardation in the United States. The World Health Organization says that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the leading cause of mental retardation in western civilization, as indicated by studies done in the U.S., Australia, Europe, and Canada. The incidence of FAS is estimated to be 1.9 per 1,000, or about one in every 500 births. FAS may be even more frequent in some developing countries, like South Africa.

2) What percentage of women drink alcohol before realizing they are pregnant?
Answer: Although statistics vary from study to study, it can be estimated that approximately half of women of childbearing age are drinking alcohol regularly at the time that they get pregnant. Most of them will quit drinking when they discover they are pregnant, but many of them will continue to drink. According to a report published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, 25% of pregnant women and 55% of nonpregnant women between the ages of 18 and 45 used alcohol during the previous month. Other studies place the percentage of women who knowingly drink during pregnancy at about 15%. More than half of women of childbearing age do not know what Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is. (NOFAS Statistics)

3) What percentage of persons with FAS/FAE attain independence in living and working?
Answer: According to research by Ann Streissguth through the University of Washington Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit, about 18% of the adults with FAS and FAE in her study were able to achieve independent living, but fewer than 10% were able to live independently and without employment problems. One reason for this could be that the development of social skills could be arrested (not just delayed) in persons with FAS. This is a possible indication of research by Dr. Edward Riley, as reported in an article in Crime Times. In children from 6 to 13 years old, the social maturation seemed to not progress beyond the level of a 4 to 6 year old child.

4) Which alcoholic beverage contains the greatest amount of alcohol?
A can of beer, a glass of wine, a shot of liquor, and a wine cooler all contain about 1/2 ounce of absolute alcohol. If a woman consumes two drinks within one hour, her baby could have a BAC (blood alcohol content) even higher than the mother, because the baby's system is not as mature and it takes the baby longer to metabolize the alcohol, which circulates in the baby's body far longer than it does in the mother's. The alcohol molecule is very tiny and passes easily from the mother to the baby, where it can destroy brain cells and can have adverse effects on the developing organs. Alcohol is a toxic substance and has no nutritional value.

5) What is the most debilitating aspect of prenatal alcohol exposure?
While alcohol exposure can cause all of the listed effects, the damage to the frontal lobes is very serious, as this is where the brain maintains control of the impulses and inhibitions. The person with FAS has sustained damage to the frontal lobes and therefore cannot control behavior or expression of feelings, with lack of impulse control and poor judgment, much like that of an inebriated person. However, the person with FAS does not have a choice about being impaired. This brain damage that causes the lack of impulse control places the person with FAS at high risk of behavior problems, suspension and expulsion from school, and trouble with the law as an adult. This impedes the person's ability to form healthy social relationships. This is a permanent neurological condition with which the person with FAS must suffer for an entire lifetime.

6) How much does treatment for FAS cost US taxpayers each year?
Answer: Although previous studies estimated the cost of FAS to be somewhere between $250 million and $1.6 billion, recent studies indicate a much higher price tag. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in one year taxpayers spend $1.9 billion dollars to treat children and adults with diagnosed FAS. This figure does not include other alcohol related disabilities associated with prenatal exposure to alcohol (FAE) that is not diagnosed as full FAS. So the actual costs are thought to be much higher.

7) Which of the following groups of women are at higher than average risk for drinking during pregnancy?
Answer: Women who smoke (not included in the test, as this was too obvious); unmarried women; female students; women with a college education; and women in households with greater than $50,000 annual income. These are results of a very recent survey of over 100,000 women which was conducted by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention and was published in the August 1998 issue of the journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

8) Of the secondary disabilities associated with FAS/FAE, which one is most common?
Answer: The most common secondary disability in FAS/FAE is mental illness, occurring in 94% of the adults in Ann Streissguth's studies, with clinical depression being the most prevalent diagnosis. Other mental health issues include suicidal threats and attempts, panic attacks and auditory and visual hallucinations. All of these problems seem to increase with age. Secondary disabilities are preventable when protective factors are in place.

9) Which of the following are protective factors for preventing secondary disabilities in FAS/FAE?
Answer: An IQ below 70, early diagnosis, eligibility for state services, absence of domestic violence, and stable home environment are all protective factors, according to Streissguth's research. Unfortunately, only about 10% of adults with FAS/FAE are found to be eligible for services for persons with developmental disabilities, because most of them have IQ's above 70, which is the cut-off in most states for eligibility for services. The person with an IQ lower than 70 will more likely qualify for services, and will be identifed as having disabilities; therefore, inappropriate behavior is more easily tolerated and understood. But the child or adult with an IQ in the normal range is more likely to appear normal to others, and inappropriate behavior will be judged more harshly; this is a factor in the chronic frustration the child experiences that is likely to result in depression and/or aggressive behavior. The child who appears to be normal but has the same neurological difficulties as the child with a lower IQ is more likely to be judged as "bad" and is more prone to the anger and frustration resulting from unrealistic expectations of parents and teachers who do not recognize or understand the neurological origins of the problem behaviors. The average IQ of the person with FAS is about 80, and the average IQ of the person with FAE is around 90; however, almost all of them suffer mental impairments of low social skills, emotional immaturity, memory deficits, and most have a need for continued close supervision and support services.

10) In which of the following ways does alcohol affect a man's ability to father healthy children?
Answer: Alcohol affects the male in all the ways listed. Children whose biological fathers are/were heavy drinkers are at higher risk of birth defects, social problems, learning problems, and behavior problems. It is not known how much is due to alcohol consumption before or at the time of conception, or is attributable to inherited/genetic factors. It is known that alcohol use in the family increases the risk of child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, automobile accidents, accidents in the home, unemployment, and suicide. All of these factors can have a negative impact on raising a child. When a woman is pregnant, and trying to abstain from alcohol, the number one factor in her not consuming alcohol is her partner's not using alcohol as well. For more information, see the online article, "What About Dads?"



© 1999 Teresa Kellerman for FAS Community Resource Center in Tucson, Arizona ~ Web site: http://come-over.to/FASCRC
All data in this test is compiled from reliable, credible sources.
To view the specific sources of information, see this FAS QUIZ on the internet:
http://www.come-over.to/multiplechoice/fasquiz1.htm