Running head: THE EFFECTS OF FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME ON INFANTS
             The Effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome on Infants
             Prenatal exposure to alcohol can have detrimental effects throughout a child's life. The primary concerns are changes in the brain that can lead to deficiencies in cognitive functioning, including memory and learning problems, attention deficits, poor motor coordination, and difficulties problem solving. The symptoms of prenatal exposure to alcohol are also known as fetal alcohol syndrome. These cognitive deficiencies cause long-term problems for children as they mature into adulthood in the areas of school, work, and social functioning.
             Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was first recognized and identified in 1968. It is currently the leading cause of mental retardation in western civilization, outranking Down syndrome. In the United States, according to O'Malley and Nanson (O'Malley and Nanson, 2002), more than 5,000 infants are diagnosed each year. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a pattern of mental and physical defects, which develops, in some unborn babies when the mother drinks too much alcohol during pregnancy. A baby born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome may be seriously handicapped and require a lifetime of special care. According to Connor and Streissguth (Connor and Streissguth, 1996), the major areas of concern are: (1) Symptoms of mental retardation which include small head, problems with movement (motor retardation), poor muscle tone, and hearing disturbances; (2) Facial abnormalities such as small eyes and/or short eye openings, underdevelopment of the upper lip; and flattening of the upper lip ridges. (3) Growth disturbances: small size and weight with growth lag before and after birth. (4) Behavioral disturbances: infant irritability, childhood hyperactivity, and attention deficit.
             Some babies do not have all of the classic Fetal Alcohol Syndrome symptoms. These symptoms are sometimes referred to ...