Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of mental and physical defects
which develops in some unborn babies when the mother drinks too much alcohol
during pregnancy. FAS is the leading known cause of mental retardation,
surpassing both Spina Bifida and Down's Syndrome. However, not all children
with FAS have mental retardation. A recent study of sixty-one adolescents and
adults with FAS revealed IQ scores ranging from 20 to 105, with an average of
68. Fifty-eight percent of these individuals had an IQ score of 70 or below.
Since we know what FAS is, let's view some interesting statistics on this
terrible disease.
It may seem unbelievable, but at least one out of every five pregnant
women use alcohol and/or drugs. Consequently, the latest estimate for babies
born with FAS in the United States is a rate of 19.5 per 10,000 live births,
although they can run as high as 30 per 10,000. This equals about 12,000
babies a year.......
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