The Effects of Alcohol on Child Development
There exists no harmless amount or time of drinking alcohol throughout pregnancy. Also, there is no type of alcohol that is safe for use by pregnant women. However, the use of alcohol while one is expectant poses critical threats to the health and development of the baby. Notably, alcohol can pass from the mother’s blood to the growing baby via the umbilical cord (Healthwise, 2018). Once it enters the system of the growing baby, alcohol interferes with cell development and overall wellbeing.
Probable risks can occur either during pregnancy or after birth. Primarily, prenatal hazards include stillbirth or miscarriage (CDC, 2018). On the other hand, after-birth-dangers involve lifetime intellectual, behavioral, and physical disabilities generally referred to as FASDs (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders). FASDs are characterized by and not limited to underweight, poor memory, the small size of head and body, low IQ, constrained vision and hearing, learning problems, delayed speech and language development, poor reasoning, and heart problems (Nilsson, 2017). Even though some assumptions hold that drinking in the third trimester is harmless since the baby is almost fully formed, it risks the baby’s brain and other vital body organs, which are still developing even in the late stages.
Lack of exact and justifiable amounts and time acceptable for a pregnant woman to consume alcohol may seem confusing. However, to prevent the underlying complications, it is appropriate for women to avoid any consumption of alcohol before and during pregnancy. In case an expectant woman is using alcohol, she should stop immediately and contact the relevant medical practitioner to safeguard the healthy development of her baby. Moreover, developmental disabilities caused by alcohol use are preventable only by abstaining from it.
References
CDC [Center for Disease Control and Prevention], (2018). Alcohol Use in Pregnancy. Retrieved February 12, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/alcohol-use.html
Healthwise (2018). Alcohol Effects on a Fetus Retrieved February 12, 2020, from https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/tk3598
Nilsson, J. P. (2017). Alcohol availability, prenatal conditions, and long-term economic outcomes. Journal of Political Economy, 125(4), 1149-1207.