Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, (FASD) is not a mental health diagnosis or medical diagnosis, but is a general term used to describe a variety of syndromes and disorders that can occur in a child whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. The effects and symptoms vary in severity. Many children share common effects, including emotional difficulties, physical and learning. The common physical characteristics that may be associated with FASD are facial deformities, growth deficits, heart, liver, kidneys, impaired vision and hearing, and permanent brain damage. FASD is the only 100% preventable cause of birth defects and mental retardation in the United States and FASD is 100% intractable. FASD affects approximately 40,000 children each year. That's spina bifida, Down's syndrome, and muscular dystrophy combined.Alcohol damages parts of the brain that gives us memory, self-control, coordination and judgment. Children with FASD often have learning disabilities, attention, memory, central nervous system, and solving skills that may have implications for life problem. FASD is a permanent condition and affects all aspects of a child's life and the lives of his family.
The emotional toll on families can not be underestimated. For biological parents, recognizing that mental retardation, birth defects and / or child's neurodevelopment disorders are the result of prenatal maternal consumption of alcohol is very difficult to face. For adoptive or foster parents, the discovery that your child has FASD after years of trying to understand their cognitive and behavioral problems leads to feelings of frustration and isolation.
As an adoptive mother, I can tell you that raising a child with FASD is the most difficult but the most rewarding thing I've done. Andrew is now 13 years old and in seventh grade. He is gentle, generous, loving and very naive. He also exhibited many of the symptoms associated with FASD since the day we brought him home at 1 week of age. Cried all the time! For 3 years and drugs, he never slept for more than 30 minutes at a time, day or night. To say that life seemed impossible is actually an understatement. Constant attention is required and if I leave out of sight in another room for a minute that destroy it. If I was not there when he had a bowel movement in his bed, take it off and smear feces all over the walls, carpets and beds. We had to put a lock on the refrigerator, as he went out of his bed in the middle of the night and throw everything on the refrigerator stains on carpets, walls and beds. For years, we knew we had serious problems, but no one could help. All professionals said their behavior was beyond his experience. We went from doctor to doctor, counselor to advise and looked everywhere to find answers for him and our family. At the age of three years, was expelled from each nursery in our region has increased by at least 30 babysitters, and could not stay in the nursery at church. He was very abusive to everyone; but most of his chips were conducted in me. It bite me, hit me and throw things at me. Added holes in the walls, windows, threw stones at us, as well as cars and was basically never happy. When he started school, he began a new nightmare. The fourth day of classes had cast toys, supplies and destroyed the classroom that ran from the room so that the teacher has to stop other students to pursue my old 4 years. He was transferred to a class of emotional disabilities where they had experience with other children like him.
By the time I was 5, I had many diagnoses lost count, but none of them really explained the seriousness of their behavior. We tried 21 different drugs tested and at least four different types of therapy. We started searching the internet and found some FASD sites and found that there were many places in the US that specializes in FASD. Andrew and I packed, leaving my husband and two children in the house and went in search of a diagnosis. We went to Baltimore, MD, and saw an FASD specialist who finally gave an accurate diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome. While we finally got a diagnosis no one seemed able to help us get their behavior under control and his behavior worsened. At that time he was seven drugs, but none were effective. Entered in Internet search and learn about FASD and found a clinical behavior "serious", The Marcus Institute in Atlanta GA. They observed their behavior and immediately asked if we would be open to come to Atlanta to live for a few months so that he can attend the clinic. It was his observation that their behavior was not always something better without extreme response. At that time, we had no choice; was getting bigger every day, stronger and more destructive. After fighting the insurance complications, Andrew and I went to Atlanta where he was undergoing treatment, testing and training for eight weeks.
After two months of hard work of a serious clinical behavior has been able to reduce behavior problems 96.6% since the beginning of the program. The skills learned are skills we use always keep your behavior under control. While we still have bad days, too hello now. He is able to stay in school all day today, with the help of a shadow and is able to play baseball and football with other children their age and you are happy.
Andres and most children with FASD are never what others consider it "normal" and that's fine with us because he is now a happy child. He learned to read, and slowly learning social skills. We had to adjust our expectations and learn to think "outside the box" when it comes to him and his problems. We live a relatively normal life, whatever. We are not cured in the traditional sense, but we are working and making progress. Now you're out of five of the seven drugs and raised in fact physically and emotionally.