Born Addicted to Alcohol

There are different characteristics that accompany FAS in the different stages of a child's life. "At birth, infants with intrauterine exposure to alcohol frequently have low birth rate; pre-term delivery; a small head circumference; and the characteri stic facial features of the eyes, nose, and mouth" (Phelps, 1995, p. 204). Some of the facial abnormalities that are common of children with FAS are: microcephaly, small eye openings, broad nasal bridge, flattened mid-faces, thin upper lip, skin folds …

…Something needs to be done with mothers who have babies that are ad dicted at birth. Laws and other regulations will probably not solve the problem, but make it more complex. A mother shouldn't have a child if she has an addiction problem. Woman should be able to receive free abortions if they are addicts and don't wan t to quit drinking during their pregnancy. A child should never be born with fetal alcohol syndrome.