Q:
Are there any measures we can take to minimize the
chances of our child having been exposed to alcohol abuse?
A:Make
a list of indicators to look for. Include the following in this
list:
Age of the bio-mother (the younger the
better);
A bio-mother's social status;
Other children in the family (more children,
more chances of FAS);
Low second Apgar score (below 7);
Severe malocclusion (crooked teeth);
Strabismus;
Low birth weight;
Head circumference (microcephaly) -
an unnatural smallness of the head;
Specific features of the child's face
(dysmorphology): small eye opening, low nasal bridge, flat
midface, abnormal smallness of lower jaw, thin upper lip,
indistinct groove on upper lip);
Growth retardation (weight, length below
the 10th percentile);
Central nervous system involvement (signs
of neurological abnormality, developmental delays, intellectual
impairment).
