FASD, Now What?

An email friend of mine, Peggy, recently sent a list of behaviors associated with FASD that she found from personal research and from "A Fetal Alcohol Behavior Scale" published in the *Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research* by Dr. Ann Streissguth. I thought it was a great list and wanted to include it here...

short term memory problems
obsessive compulsive behavior
unaware of consequences of an action
poor attention (may not be true attention deficit disorder)
can't take hints
overreacts
mood swings
interrupts
poor judgment
likes to be the center of attention
loses things
overstimulated fidgety
likes to talk
demands attention
often described as "...tries hard but...
out of context
overly friendly
sleep problems
superficial friendships
hygiene problems
messy
touches people frequently
chats but no content
klutzy
poor manners
talks fast
physically loving
can't play team sports
difficulty performing even though can repeat instructions
unusal topics of conversation
inappropriate behavior at home
inappropriate behavior outside the home
repeats often
sensitive to noises
loud, unusual voice
problems with sexual function

Other Central Nervous System symptoms that have been reported by other researchers may include:
mental retardation (IQs of these children can range from 40 to 130)
Cerebral Palsy symptoms
epilepsy symptoms
short term memory loss
intermittant long term memory problems
perseveration (does things over and over)
attachment disorder
speech and language problems
receptive language disorder
sensory integration dysfunction
disorderly conduct
has trouble learning new motor skills
fine motor skills are problematic
sensitive or insenstive to bright lights
has dry, flakey skin
distinct odor to self or room or clothes
stomach and/or bowel problems
unusual eye and hearing problems
problems with mentrual periods
may often be diagnosed as: ADHD, Asperger's. Autistic, Pervasive Developmental Delay, Antisocial Personality, Hyperactivity, Borderline Personality Disorder.