Fetal Alcohol Syndrome ( Fas ) - 1404 Words

Children are born every second of every day on all different parts of the globe. However, before they are introduced into the world they must develop in a special incubator known as the mother’s womb. Throughout the nine months of growth, it is crucial for the mother to consume certain nutrients and avoid harmful substances. In many countries, one of the cognitive disorders is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). According to Feldman (2009), Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a disorder that is induced by pregnant women who have consumed alcohol during the duration of their pregnancy, possibly resulting in mental deformity and delayed the growth of the child. Some characteristics of FAS include growth deficiency and central nervous system dysfunction†¦show more content†¦Impairment of the central nervous system results in an array of behavioral problems including hyperactivity, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) and impaired language, as well as difficulties learning and understandi ng social skills (Thomas, 2008). In addition, prenatal exposure to alcohol disrupts the development of major regions in the central nervous system such as the hippocampus, which contributes to memory (Thomas, 2008). The exposure to alcohol during development in the womb, consequently damaging the central nervous system and the hippocampus, makes the child’s learning experience more difficult due to the fact that their learning and their ability to memorize has been impaired. A research study that was done by Sarah N. Mattson, Katherine E. Calarco and Aimee R. Lang has proven that children that have been exposed to alcohol have a slower reaction time and a lower accuracy to respond correctly to a set of stimuli that was presented. The children were evaluated using a paradigm consisting of three conditions: visual focus, auditory focus, and auditory-visual shift of attention (Mattson, 2006). The result concluded that children with FAS have a deficiency in visually focused att ention and a deformity in maintaining auditory