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