Often named under the umbrella acronym FASDs, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders can happen when a woman drinks while pregnant.  Because doctor are unsure of how much alcohol can bring about the disorder, they recommend total sobriety while pregnant in order to be sure that their babies will be born healthy.

Even if a woman is considering pregnancy, she ought to abstain simply to err on the side of caution.  This is why addiction treatment is considered by some to be almost more important for women than men, in addition to the fact that the same amount of alcohol can have a greater affect on them than on men.  Some of the effects of FASDs are psychical while others can be related learning or behavior difficulties.  Usually, it is a combination of such issues.

There are many signs of FASDs that show if a baby is suffering from a disorder.  Among them are a head size smaller than normal, small body weight, attention problems, impediment in speech, hearing and sight issues, and hyperactive manner.  These are only a few of the symptoms doctors look for when examining a baby for FASDs.  Ideally a mother will never have to endure looking for such symptoms if she has a problem with alcohol.  Alcohol abuse intervention is especially important because it can help save the mother from any pain or guilt often associated with FASDs.

Many people are aware of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.  It comprises of issues with the central nervous system, poor attention span, growth difficulties, irregular facial characteristics, and an inability to work and get along with others in a social context.  Other complexities include issues with hearing, seeing, and talking.

More unknown is Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder.  Children who have this kind of FADS also share many of the same problem as those children suffering from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.  Their behavior and learning capabilities are impaired in addition to having great difficulty in school because of a poor attention span and difficulty remembering what they learn, in particular with math subjects. Those who have Alcohol-Related Birth Defects possess problems that are a combination of physical issues with their bones, kidneys, and heart as well as audio.

Alcohol affects many people and women are perhaps the most susceptible because of their capability to give birth.  For that reason residential drug treatment for those suffering from drug or alcohol related addictions are so important.  These disorders are often emotionally difficult for most mothers to adjust to: raising a child is difficult when he or she possess the average abilities of most other children.  But these disordered can exacerbate the stress of raising a child even more.

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