Tag Archives: fetal alcohol syndrome

Optimizing Development of Your Baby

We all want a happy, healthy baby and. although the uterus is an exceptionally safe and comfortable environment for your growing baby, there are additional precautions that all expectant mothers can undertake to ensure that their baby receives the best start in life. Eat an adequate and balanced diet before and during pregnancy The nutritional needs of your developing baby as well as your own depend on a sound diet. Serious malnutrition, not only from lack of food but lack of nutritious food, can interfere with normal prenatal growth and may limit your baby’s intelligence. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption Studies … Continue reading →

Help for Kids with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Jodee Kulp, adoptive parent of a teen-ager with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)and foster mother of others, is the author of Our FAScinating Journey, subtitled The Best We Can Be: Keys to Brain Potential Along the Path of Prenatal Brain Injury. This 300-page guide is both a memoir of the Kulp family’s experiences and efforts to help their daughter and an incredibly varied compilation of information and resources. The book begins with an introduction to the Kulp family, how they adopted Liz, a failure-to-thrive infant, and fostered Dave, diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Reactive Attachment Disorder, in his infancy … Continue reading →

Are Asians Misdiagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?

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My last seven blogs have told a very personal story, but it may not be as unique as I thought. The very next summer after our Two Months of Hell, a coworker at our church was in tears—her son and daughter, adopting from Korea, had received the referral and photos of a little boy the whole family had fallen in love with—then the doctor made dire predictions about fetal alcohol exposure. “We’re all just crying our eyes out,” the grandmother-to-be said. Later these concerns were proven unfounded. The child was adopted by this family and doing just fine. At least … Continue reading →

A Perilous Path to a Prognosis

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There are some weird twists and turns to the following story. (This is the fourth blog in the most personal series I’ve ever written—the agony of learning our daughter’s birth sister had suffered significant prenatal alcohol exposure , then our subsequent confusion, then our search for a diagnosis. ) I need to begin by stating that 1) this was several years ago, research on fetal alcohol exposure was fairly new and is changing all the time and 2) I was talking with several specialists and reading a lot of information and it is possible I misunderstood some things or mixed … Continue reading →

Path to a Prognosis—Part One

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This is the third part of my story of the One Thing I Said I’d Never Do,namely, adopting a child with known prenatal alcohol exposure. We were stunned to learn that our daughter’s biological sister had been heavily exposed (find this second blog here). The baby in question being Meg’s sister complicated things considerably. How could we not at least consider it? We sent Regina’s medical record, measurements, and photos to the adoption and fetal medicine clinics at our local university medical center, which happens to be the university where much of the initial identification of and research on Fetal … Continue reading →

The One Thing I Said I’d Never Do

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When we were considering what special needs we might be able to handle in an adopted child, my husband and I had some very interesting discussions. There was one thing about which there was no discussion at all. We would not adopt a child who had been prenatally exposed to alcohol. I had grown up next to a group home for the mentally retarded. The people with Down’s syndrome and many other problems were lovely neighbors. A girl my age with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome gave me the creeps. (To be fair, this was probably because of past abuse and not … Continue reading →

Behavior Characteristics: For People Affected By Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

One of the most important things parents are advised is to be firm and consistent with our children, especially when it comes to behaviors. Natural consequences, time out, and other types of discipline are all common ways parents attempt to teach children behavior boundaries. I have 4 children, and with 3 of them standard, ordinary, logical parenting approaches have been very effective. However, I also have one child who was exposed to alcohol before her birth and suffers from Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ARND) A physical disability of the brain. For this child parenting is a completely different story and … Continue reading →

Links Between Brain Differences and Behaviors in Prenatal Alcohol Affected People.

Modern medical science has made it possible to understand the structure and function of the brain. In the past, the role of brain differences in relationship to behavior was not well researched. Early articles about minimal brain disorders were met with scorn by people who believed the research was a way to excuse negative behaviors. Today, brain research is allowing us to understand that many behavioral symptoms are actually symptoms of a brain dysfunction. The new research and advanced medical tools we have today, allow us to approach our feelings about behavior very differently. Linking the role of the brain … Continue reading →

The One Reason to Never-Ever Have Even 1 Drink While Pregnant!

…She seems to have a complex pattern of behavior and cognitive abnormalities. These issues become more and more apparent as she grows up. Her behavior is inconsistent with her developmental level. For the past three and a half years, it has been blamed on her background and environment. She was, after all, an abused child who became my adopted daughter at the age of five-years-old. Her background and history was the original explanation for these behaviors and cognitive abnormalities. Her diagnosis reads like a cup of Alphabet soup! It has been one acronym upon another, stacked up like a brick … Continue reading →

At Least–3 Reasons Not To Drink While Pregnant.

We met our children in January 2003, at the time they were 5 years, and 1 year old. We were excited to be adopting siblings and both were beautiful healthy children. Even our adoption worker took a close look at the children and commented on the fact neither appeared to have any of the signs for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, FAS. FAS is the medical diagnosis for symptoms of prenatal alcohol exposure. The criteria for FAS are specific and represent the most extreme end of a continuum of effects on unborn children. We reviewed and understood what signs to look for … Continue reading →