DRINKING WHILE PREGNANT WILL LEAD TO BIRTH DEFECTS AND LIFELONG ISSUES

The holiday season just ended with fewer social gatherings and parties and increased isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic may lead some people to seek comfort in having an adult beverage. But if you are pregnant or perhaps are not even aware you are pregnant, one glass of wine today, could lead to a whole host of problems later.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is the result of a pregnant woman having one or more drinks during pregnancy. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's FASD Clinic Supervisor Dr. Marysa Williams wrote, “No amount of alcohol has been proven safe at any time during pregnancy. You should not drink alcohol if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or think you may be pregnant. There’s really no safe time to drink alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol can cause problems for your baby. Many women are not even aware they are pregnant in the first six weeks.”

Of course, alcohol is not the only substance that can cause an issue for women during pregnancy. Any substance consumed during pregnancy plays a role in a child’s development. “Studies show that using drugs – legal or illegal – during pregnancy has a direct and potentially negative impact on the baby,” wrote Dr. Williams. “However, the only known cause of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol is a teratogen that crosses the placenta and can damage the central nervous system (including the brain) and other organs of the developing baby. Other substances when taken during pregnancy increases the chances of birth defects, premature babies, low birth weight and miscarriage.”

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF FASD?

Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause a number of birth defects, including microcephaly, a condition in which the baby’s head and brain are significantly smaller than expected, abnormal facial development in the lip, mid-face, eyes and structural brain defects.

A child with FASD may have:

Low body weight
Poor coordination
Hyperactive behavior

Difficulty with attention
Poor memory
Difficulty in school (especially math)
Learning disabilities
Speech and language delays
Intellectual disability or low IQ
Poor reasoning and judgement skills
Sleep and sucking problems as a baby
Vision or hearing problems
Problems with heart, kidneys or bones
Shorter-than-average-height
Small head size

Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip (this ridge is called the philtrum)

HOW IS CHILD DIAGNOSED WITH FASD?

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health is one of the three FASD clinics in the state of Ohio and the only clinic in Northeastern Ohio. The other two clinics are located in Toledo and Cincinnati.

C&A’s Belden Office facilitates the FASD Clinic. Dr. Williams explained how a child is diagnosed with FASD at C&A, “FASD is diagnosed by a team of interdisciplinary professionals, gathering information and assessments in four specific areas: growth, facial features, brain function and structure, and prenatal alcohol history.”

If a child is diagnosed with FASD, they may be classified under one of the four umbrella terms.

FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome)- People with FAS have the most severe central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction, the presence of the classic characteristic facial features, significant growth deficiency and confirmed severe prenatal alcohol exposure.
PFAS (Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome)- The term “Partial FAS” is used when a person’s characteristic features are very close to the classic features of FAS and the alcohol history strongly suggests that alcohol exposure during pregnancy was at high level and likely to have played a role in person’s difficulties.
ARND (Alcohol Related Neurobehavioral Disorder)- This is the most common diagnosis on the spectrum. People with ARND have some but not all of the characteristic growth deficiency, characteristic facial features, and CNS damage/ dysfunction, but a number of other factors could be contributing to the present issues. Present issues may be genetic background, other potential exposures or problems during gestation, and various experiences since birth.
ARBD (Alcohol Related Birth Defects)- This is the least common diagnosis on the spectrum. These individuals have the growth deficiency and/or facial characteristics that to some extent are compatible to FAS, but do not have clear evidence of cognitive or behavioral problems that strongly suggest CNS damage/ dysfunction.

If a child falls under one of the umbrella terms, is there a treatment for each one? Dr. Williams said, “FASD conditions are life-long. There is no cure for FASD, but research shows that early intervention treatment services can improve a child’s development. There are many types of treatment options, including medication to help with some symptoms, behavior and education therapy, parent training and other alternative approaches. No one treatment is right for every child. Each child with FASDs have unique strengths and challenges, but they all share the same basic needs and desires we all do: to be cared about, to be heard and understood, to make a difference, and to contribute to their families and communities. Helping a person to live successfully with FASD means recognizing strengths and focusing on ability over disability. Good treatment plans will include close monitoring/supervision, follow-ups, flexibility/changes as needed along the way, and needing to frequently repeat and rehearse skills.”

As previously mentioned, FASD may affect a child’s performance in school. Some common challenges for educators who teach students with FASD include hyperactivity, impulsivity, attention and memory deficits, difficulties with completing tasks, disruptive behaviors, difficulties with social skills, and the need for constant supervision and close monitoring.

Successful strategies for educating children with FASD include using concrete, hands-on learning methods, establishing structured routines, keeping instructions short and simple, providing consistent and specific directions, frequently repeating instructions and rehearsing tasks, and providing constant supervision.

Once strategies and coping skills are mastered, the next step is helping a person to live successfully with FASD. As mentioned previously, this means recognizing strengths and abilities of the person, rather than overly focusing on deficits and challenges. The focus should be on competencies, relationship mutuality and working with, rather than talking at the teen/ young adult. We all require help from others in varying degrees and most of us live interdependently in our communities. The focus for individuals with FASD should be on interdependence to support success.

PERCENTAGES OF CHILDREN AFFECTED FASD?

Each year, there is an estimated 40,000 babies born that are affected by FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) or FASD, with damage ranging from major to subtle.

One in 100 babies have FASD, nearly the same as autism. FASD is more prevalent than Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, SIDS, Cystic Fibrosis and Spina Bifida combined. Alcohol use during pregnancy is the leading preventable cause of birth defects, developmental disabilities and learning disabilities.

If you live in Stark County, there are available resources. Those resources are Stark County Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Committee, Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities and this website – https://www.nofas.org.

HOW DOES A PARENT GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE CLINIC?

The waiting period before a first appointment is offered is variable, especially as the clinic only serves one client per month. Additionally, it is important to note that prior to becoming eligible for a first appointment, families must complete all necessary paperwork and obtain all necessary previous treatment records. Currently, we have several clients interested in services, but have not completed all necessary paperwork, and thus there may be immediate openings.

If you are interested in the assessment services provided by the FASD clinic, please talk to your provider at C&A about making a referral. If you are a new client, and do not have a C&A provider, please contact Meredith Skotschir, R.N., B.C., at 330-433-6075 ext. 227.

Psychology Doctoral Internship Program Manager Dr. Marysa Williams does testing and evaluation for the FASD Clinic, which is funded by the United Way. Dr. Williams is a licensed psychologist and one of C&A’s expert clinicians with over 4 years of experience. For more information about any of C&A’s services, call 330-433-6075.

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STARK COUNTY SCHOOLS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

16 Apr, 2024

The sixth annual Stark County Schools Mental Health Awareness Week is May 6-10 Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A), CommQuest Services and Pathway Caring for Children will partner to bring positive mental health awareness to more than 53,000 students and 7,000 support and administrative staff in all 18 Stark County School districts.

UNDERSTANDING RACE IN SOCIETY AND THERAPY: CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS’ EXPERIENCES

By Chris Alpert • 16 Nov, 2023

In the film, I’m Not Racist… Am I? as introduced and explored in first of this three-part blog post series, the participants engaged in multiple workshops that address race and racism. Interpersonally, the group of students grapple with their own differences and similarities, which impact the content and emotions they share with each other. There are several moments in the film that demonstrate the clear differences in the participants’ understanding of race. In the first workshop, the students were exposed to the idea that all white people are inherently racist seeing as American society was founded on principles meant to support white people (see more on structural racism here, here, and here for further understanding). Several white students in the film became emotional during that workshop. Most students remained quiet. Following this workshop, a black student and a white student were filmed independently of each other in their own homes and discussed the workshop and what they learned with their families. The white student discussed the differences between structural racism and bigotry with her mother and struggled to identify with the principles taught in the training. The black student stated to his mother how almost everything spoken in that workshop applied to him. The student further discussed his feelings by stating how overt racism is and yet how “subliminal” it is at the same time. How can something be so in your face and yet under your feet simultaneously? I immediately reflected on the dialectic of something being so clear and yet so vague. The film continued to grapple with student differences. At the beginning of the film, one white male student discussed with his mother how he feels that all individuals, if they apply themselves wholeheartedly, have the same chance of success regardless of their skin, gender, sexuality or other demographic factors. As a white man myself, I must confess that when I was in high school, I had the same mindset. How could it be different? Especially when I was reading mythic bootstrap literature in high school classes. Sure, the harder you work the more you deserve, but that statement does not work for all Americans. I had not accounted for racial factors that inhibit the growth of others, not to mention socio-economic factors, nationalities, citizenship status, gender and age. I continued to reflect on these statements and connected them to my experience in high school in New York City. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement responding to the murder of George Floyd, multiple private progressive schools in New York, including the one I went to, suffered scrutiny from students and alumni who identify as black, indigenous people of color (BIPOC). Multiple Instagram accounts surfaced with the handle “BLACK AT [school name].” I read the posts in 2020, and again before writing this post, and remembered feeling horrified knowing these acts of racism, bigotry and microaggressions happened all around me. This was subliminal to me, yet overt to others.

UNDERSTANDING RACE IN SOCIETY AND THERAPY

By Chris Alpert • 01 Nov, 2023

When I first came to Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A), I was unsure what to expect regarding race and diversity at both the organization and in Ohio. Having grown up in Harlem in New York City and attended graduate school in San Diego, CA, I had heard stereotypes about Ohio, specifically that Ohio was a very white state. At C&A during orientation, we discussed the role of first impressions for clients and discussed how the front desk staff are considered, “the directors of first impressions.” I loved this term. After orientation, I wondered, why we didn’t discuss demographic factors such as race and gender? We generally pick those up upon first impressions and have implicit biases and judgements in those first impressions. It was odd to me that we did not discuss these demographic factors. As the summer and fall progressed, I noticed that there were few discussions about race as it impacts C&A and the kids and families we serve. I noticed the number of white staff at C&A and reflected on my own privilege as a white man who can easily avoid the discussion of race because I do not suffer discrimination on an individual or systemic level. I reflected on my first experiences discussing race in high school. When I was in high school at the Calhoun School, my father received a grant to create a film and workshops that addressed race and racism seen through the eyes of high schoolers in New York City. My dad had completed a training hosted by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. This training opened my father’s eyes to his own white privilege and motivated him to teach kids, specifically white kids, about their privilege earlier in life. I first saw the film, I’m Not Racist… Am I? (see more here ), toward the end of high school after it had come out in 2014.

THE DANGERS OF MARIJUANA USE

By Dr. Karita Nussbaum • 20 Oct, 2023

Ohio is at a crossroads once again with marijuana on the ballot next month. The following article is from Every Brain Matters, an organization that believes that the THC in marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug. Every Brain Matters is a trusted source of educational material based on the latest scientific evidence. One of the major criticisms of expanded marijuana legalization is that it makes the drug more accessible to minors. A brand-new study just published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that it has become a valid concern.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE – SOUTHERN NIGHTS: ILLUMINATING HOPE AND MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION

By Savannah Okray • 11 Sep, 2023

For the last few months, C&A has been diligently preparing for the 18th Annual Let Your Light Shine – Southern Nights presented by The Repository by organizing auction items, printing tickets and using their creativity to make sure that eventgoers feel as though they are walking into an evening in the south, with barrels and lanterns to boot. The committee, led by chair Jen Frey and co-chair Molly Sperling and auction chair Stacy Remark are hard at work, it’s crucial to remember that this event raises awareness and dollars to support the agency’s programs and services amid suicide prevention and awareness month.

GROWING WITH YOUR CHILD AS A PARENT

By Dan Mucci • 30 Aug, 2023

I have grown up as a parent for the last four and half years! As luck would have it, a little more than four and a half years ago, I started at Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) in the mission advancement department with my responsibilities being the marketing and development coordinator. Some might say, I did a good job of raising my two kids, who were teenagers at the time. But, boy, if I had known of the services C&A offered and even some of the parenting tools for my toolbox, parenting might have been even better.

WHAT DID YOU DID THIS SUMMER?

By Dr. Karita Nussbaum • 09 Aug, 2023

This summer I attended a Marijuana Prevention conference near Denver, Colorado. I was curious to know what the locals were saying after 10 years of legalization. The speakers included a Denver Police Commander, school resource officer, medical doctor, residential treatment program CEO, deputy from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), Executive Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association and others related to educating the community and defending children’s rights. In the audience were parents, professionals and advocates for children from all over the United States. The conference was geared toward the protection of children.

FROM DARKNESS TO DISCOVERY: MY COLLEGE JOURNEY OF SELF-TRANSFORMATION

By Savannah Okray • 24 Jul, 2023

When I arrived on campus, I tried to immerse myself in college culture. I joined a sorority, the speech and debate team, and two other clubs which were extensive time commitments, factoring in no time to relax or focus on bettering my mental health. This lack of attention to my mentality, combined with my low self-esteem that prevented me from making friends led me down a dark hole in which some days I thought it would be better if I wasn’t here. About four weeks into school (at Ohio University), I realized that I had to do something, as I knew it was not safe for me to continue down the road I had been on. From there I moved home and attended an inpatient treatment center where I worked with counselors for five hours a day, learning coping skills and other ways in which I could help mend my suffering mental health. Through the lessons I learned I was able to get the skill set and help I needed and returned to school three weeks later.

THIS IS WHY WE CELEBATE

By Mary Kreitz • 19 Jun, 2023

This time of year there are a lot of celebrations happening in our communities – Memorial Day, Pride Festivals, Juneteenth celebrations, 4th of July and many more. These events aren’t just frivolous excuses to have parties, backyard barbecues or festivals. They are important cultural and civic events we need these celebrations.