Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Book excerpt: Alcohol is the leading cause of preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities in the United States. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most severe of these abnormalities, and it is caused by heavy drinking during pregnancy. While addiction may be one of the factors, there are several factors as to why a woman would drink while pregnant, but there is no measured amount of alcohol that is deemed safe during pregnancy. This volume explores the causes of fetal alcohol syndrome and the spectrum of symptoms associated with it, which can be physical and psychological and fall within a wide range of severity. Author Gail B. Stewart also discusses the difficulty in diagnosing the disease and what researchers, teachers, and caregivers are doing to try to improve the lives of people with Fetal alcohol syndrome.