An Ounce of Prevention

Something that continues to surprise me, perhaps because it is not talked about enough, is that so many women I know or am acquainted with, continue to believe that it is okay to drink during pregnancy.

Let me be clear and say this: It is absolutely NOT.

I could link you to a number of articles stating the reasons why, but I'll simply describe some of the children I work with. These include a pair of siblings ages three and four whose mother drank throughout her pregnancy. These boys cannot self-soothe and are hypersensitive to stimulation such as touch and sound (even the sound of grandma singing a lullaby is intolerable). Unable to manage moving through the world, they scream, tantrum, throw toys, and bite. One of them is microcephalic, a red flag for possible brain damage.

Another child whose mother drank intermittently and moderately during pregnancy, is almost three years old now. He struggles to communicate and engage with his mother. He goes from toy to toy and wants to run out of the room. When provided a lot of support and positive feedback, he is able to respond well, but it takes a lot of energy and his mom becomes quickly exhausted from her interactions with him.

We are fortunate to have a Fetal Alcohol Spectrums Disorder (FASD) center linked to our clinic. Many of the children they screen come to us for treatment of severe behavioral and regulatory problems. I particularly feel for these children because I know that many of their challenges could have been prevented. I look at them and see the healthy children they could have been.

The consequences of consuming alcohol during pregnancy can be serious and detectable in newborns and infants. However, in other cases the symptoms are not easily noticed at first. Rather, they manifest themselves in learning and behavioral problems as the child gets older. Is it really worth the risk?

American Academy of Pediatrics: "Because there is no known safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, the Academy recommends abstinence from alcohol for women who are pregnant or who are planning a pregnancy."