Alcohol, Pregnancy and the Developing Child


Book Description

This authoritative 1996 publication was the first to review comprehensively the important relationship between maternal alcohol abuse during pregnancy and the resulting in utero damage to the child, and the results of this damage during the development of affected children. It includes important contributions by leading and internationally acclaimed clinicians and researchers. The first part of the book discusses clinical issues of alcohol teratogenicity, the clinical picture of fetal alcohol syndrome, and the epidemiology of maternal alcohol abuse and the developmental outcome of the children. The second part addresses pathogenesis and neuropathology, whilst part three reviews developmental issues in the growing child. The final part evaluates approaches to rehabilitation and intervention, and reviews social and public health issues. This comprehensive account will be of interest to gynaecologists, obstetricians, midwives, neonatologists and paediatricians, and for child and adolescent psychiatrists and psychologists.







Expecting Better


Book Description

A gift edition, with a new letter to the reader from Emily—perfect for baby showers and special moments “Emily Oster is the non-judgmental girlfriend holding our hand and guiding us through pregnancy and motherhood. She has done the work to get us the hard facts in a soft, understandable way.” —Amy Schumer What to Expect When You're Expecting meets Freakonomics: an award-winning economist and author of Cribsheet, The Family Firm, and The Unexpected disproves standard recommendations about pregnancy to empower women while they're expecting. Pregnancy—unquestionably one of the most pro­found, meaningful experiences of adulthood—can reduce otherwise intelligent women to, well, babies. Pregnant women are told to avoid cold cuts, sushi, alcohol, and coffee without ever being told why these are forbidden. Rules for prenatal testing are similarly unexplained. Moms-to-be desperately want a resource that empowers them to make their own right choices. When award-winning economist Emily Oster was a mom-to-be herself, she evaluated the data behind the accepted rules of pregnancy, and discovered that most are often misguided and some are just flat-out wrong. Debunking myths and explaining everything from the real effects of caffeine to the surprising dangers of gardening, Expecting Better is the book for every pregnant woman who wants to enjoy a healthy and relaxed pregnancy—and the occasional glass of wine.




Developing Inclusive Practice for Young Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders


Book Description

Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) have emerged as a major phenomenon within the education and health care systems. Prenatal exposure to alcohol is known to result in a range of birth anomalies for infants and children. Children with FASD experience a range of developmental delays, which limit their participation and progress in a range of educational and social settings. Written by one of the UK’s top experts in the field, this practical and informative resource explores the complex and compounding socio-cultural, historical and political factors surrounding maternal drug and alcohol use, and the implications this has for young children’s learning and development across the childhood workforce. The book provides a framework of knowledge and understanding as a tool to develop inclusive practice. Developing Inclusive Practice for Young Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is an essential read for all early childhood professionals and practitioners. It offers a range of pedagogical strategies to improve children’s long-term developmental trajectory, whilst supporting children and families in a sensitive, respectful manner.




Fetal Alcohol Syndrome


Book Description

It sounds simple: Women who drink while pregnant may give birth to children with defects, so women should not drink during pregnancy. Yet in the 20 years since it was first described in the medical literature, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) has proved to be a stubborn problem, with consequences as serious as those of the more widely publicized "crack babies." This volume discusses FAS and other possibly alcohol-related effects from two broad perspectives: diagnosis and surveillance, and prevention and treatment. In addition, it includes several real-life vignettes of FAS children. The committee examines fundamental concepts for setting diagnostic criteria in general, reviews and updates the diagnostic criteria for FAS and related conditions, and explores current research findings and problems associated with FAS epidemiology and surveillance. In addition, the book describes an integrated multidisciplinary approach to research on the prevention and treatment of FAS. The committee: Discusses levels of preventive intervention. Reviews available data about women and alcohol abuse and treatment among pregnant women. Explores the psychological and behavioral consequences of FAS at different ages. Examines the current state of knowledge about medical and therapeutic interventions, education efforts, and family support programs. This volume will be of special interest to physicians, nurses, mental health practitioners, school and public health officials, policymakers, researchers, educators, and anyone else involved in serving families and children, especially in high risk populations.




From Neurons to Neighborhoods


Book Description

How we raise young children is one of today's most highly personalized and sharply politicized issues, in part because each of us can claim some level of "expertise." The debate has intensified as discoveries about our development-in the womb and in the first months and years-have reached the popular media. How can we use our burgeoning knowledge to assure the well-being of all young children, for their own sake as well as for the sake of our nation? Drawing from new findings, this book presents important conclusions about nature-versus-nurture, the impact of being born into a working family, the effect of politics on programs for children, the costs and benefits of intervention, and other issues. The committee issues a series of challenges to decision makers regarding the quality of child care, issues of racial and ethnic diversity, the integration of children's cognitive and emotional development, and more. Authoritative yet accessible, From Neurons to Neighborhoods presents the evidence about "brain wiring" and how kids learn to speak, think, and regulate their behavior. It examines the effect of the climate-family, child care, community-within which the child grows.




Vibrant and Healthy Kids


Book Description

Children are the foundation of the United States, and supporting them is a key component of building a successful future. However, millions of children face health inequities that compromise their development, well-being, and long-term outcomes, despite substantial scientific evidence about how those adversities contribute to poor health. Advancements in neurobiological and socio-behavioral science show that critical biological systems develop in the prenatal through early childhood periods, and neurobiological development is extremely responsive to environmental influences during these stages. Consequently, social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors significantly affect a child's health ecosystem and ability to thrive throughout adulthood. Vibrant and Healthy Kids: Aligning Science, Practice, and Policy to Advance Health Equity builds upon and updates research from Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity (2017) and From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development (2000). This report provides a brief overview of stressors that affect childhood development and health, a framework for applying current brain and development science to the real world, a roadmap for implementing tailored interventions, and recommendations about improving systems to better align with our understanding of the significant impact of health equity.




Alcohol Use Among Adolescents


Book Description

Adolescent alcohol use is prominent among today′s teens and has elicited rising concerns among parents, health practitioners, social policymakers, and the public at large. Yet there is an absence of a relatively concise book that summarizes and integrates existing knowledge on the various facets of adolescent alcohol use. This book attempts to fill this void by integrating research from the multiple fields of study (e.g., prevalence of use), describing measurement approaches (e.g., survey and clinical diagnostic), reviewing risk and protective factors, reporting on findings from prominent prevention and treatment studies, and suggesting future research directions. The coverage is intended to examine issues relevant to etiology, developmental courses, and prevention and treatment, as well as to identify future research directions.




The Challenge of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome


Book Description

In the first book of its kind, experts describe how to help people with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. A summary of recent findings and recommendations is presented by the team who conducted the largest study ever done on people of all ages with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects. Twenty-one experts from the fields of human services, education, and criminal justice respond by describing their solutions to this problem of a birth defect that targets the brain and has lifelong consequences. Some of the most crippling secondary disabilities that people with FAS/FAE face include mental health problems, disrupted school experience, inappropriate sexual behavior, trouble with the law, alcohol and drug problems, difficulty caring for their children, and homelessness. This book acknowledges the diverse and multifaceted needs of people with FAS/FAE across the lifespan. It will be valuable for parents and the many professionals working with people with FAS/FAE.




Prevention, Recognition and Management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders


Book Description

This book presents clinical assessment and management solutions for those people who are exposed to Alcohol in Pregnancy. Over the last few decades we have begun to understand the enduring effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the developing fetus. The consequence of prenatal alcohol exposure - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is a lifelong disorder and affects children and adults. It is a condition which is significantly under-recognised for many reasons. Assessment and diagnosis requires the input of multiple different professionals, and referral pathways are often poorly developed or non-existent. Information to support and guide these professionals in practical ways, what to do and how to help, remains limited. This book seeks to fill some of that gap by offering professionals, clear and useable research-based information and guidance that will help in their practice whilst also being a useful resource for anyone new to this increasingly recognised area of work. The book is divided into four broad areas bringing together chapters authored by experts in their field including those with lived experiences. Part one focuses on presenting an overview of the condition, and approaching women about their alcohol use and risk followed by part two focusing more around diagnostic issues. Part three follows with management advice, and part four revolves around policy and health prevention in general. Each chapter is designed to offer insight but also practical tips and support in an accessible manner. The book offers an essential guide for a broad range of health and social care professionals working with this condition.