Essay On Prenatal Exposure To Neurological Development

Unit 2 Discussion: Prenatal Development Readings: Chapter 3 and 4 A teratogen is any exposure in the environment such as drugs, illnesses, alcohol that can cause substantial harm to an unborn or breastfeeding baby. There are some teratogens that even if the mother was exposed to or poisoned at one point before getting pregnant can still cause harm to the unborn baby even if she is no longer exposed. Lead can be considered a teratogen as it is a toxic metal and can cause harm during the embryonic period.

Taking in toxic and harmful drugs can cause a change in the way an individual sends, receives and processes

Fetal Alcohol Court Case Essay Normally babies would be born healthy from mothers that took care of themselves as best as they could while pregnant. The mothers usually don't drink alcohol because it's not safe for the baby and could cause health problems for them in the future. But, in this case that didn't happen. Jessica Nordeen got pregnant and purposefully still drank alcohol during her pregnancy after not only being told not to drink by the father of the baby but by the doctor that she went to throughout her pregnancy. Jessica Nordeen and Justin Garcia, were seniors in high school at the time and they partied a lot and drank all the time together, then Jessica got pregnant.

“Prenatal exposure can affect the adolescent pretty significantly,” said Dr. Lauren M. Jansson, the director of pediatrics at the Center for Addiction and Pregnancy at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In male fetuses who were exposed, for instance, researchers have noted abnormal function of the amygdala, the part of the brain that regulates emotion.” Catherine gives us the point of view of experts in the field and high ranked schools to support her issue. By using information, it lets the reader know that this is real and

The biological explanation of the brain in regards to drug addiction is interesting. According to the textbook, "Studies have found convincing evidence that drugs such as alcohol, heroin, and cocaine act directly on the brain mechanisms that are responsible for reward and punishment. " When one use drugs, the drug stimulates the areas of the brain that create the sensation of pleasure and suppress the pleasure of pain, as, a result, the user receives reinforcement to engage in further drug-taking behavior. The psychological explanation of drug abuse, "Focus on either personality disorders or the effects of social learning and reinforcement on drug-taking behaviors."

Abuse of substances has ruined many lives, and many more to come

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term used to characterise the effects from prenatal alcohol exposure. It is believed to be the primary origin of non-genetic mental retardation alongside further neurodevelopment deficits. They vary from mild to severe but the effects of FASD cause permanent birth defects to which there is no known cure. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), Partial Foetal Alcohol Syndrome(PFAS), Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder(ARND), and also Foetal Alcohol Effects(FAE), as well as others, all fall within FASD (Acton PHD, 2013). Defects can occur in a baby due to its mother consuming alcohol during her pregnancy.

Consumptions of large amount of alcohol during pregnancy can lead to a Fetal alcohol syndrome or (FAS). Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most common known non-genetic (non-inherited) cause of mental retardation in the United States which is estimated three out of a thousand babies. Defects can be small heads and brain, facial abnormalities, and defects of other organs. When mother drinks alcohol while pregnant the alcohol goes through the fetus body which can cause the alcohol to remain in the baby’s body even longer. When mother is an alcoholic or drinks alcohol three to four times a day the baby that she is carrying can also be addicted to alcohol.

Correspondingly, releasing a baby into the care of a former drug addict runs the risk of relapse and is a danger to the future of the child. Due to lack of proper care, officials remove the child when a mother does not seek sobriety. With the mother undergoing so much change and barely grasping reality, she is in no condition to look after a baby, she must first help herself. Most hospital workers fail to convince mothers to enter into drug-treatment programs, and some mothers refuse the care-most being poor and uneducated women (Condon 2). These mothers are not able to give the right care for their children and risk the child’s safety.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition where an unborn child is exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. The effect of exposure of alcohol during pregnancy causes brain damage and growth problems. Fetal alcohol syndrome has physical symptoms which include the following wide set eyes, thin upper lip, flattened face with a short nose, deformities of joints, limbs and fingers, slow physical growth, vision problems, hearing problems, small head circumference, heart defects, and issues with kidneys and bones Fetal alcohol exposure has a dramatic effect on the central nervous system.

Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in maternal opioid use. Opioid use during one’s pregnancy can result in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Data drawn from 28 states in America show that the overall NAS incidences in those states has increased 300% from 1999–2013 (CDC). Babies born with this syndrome are at a high risk of being born too small and underweight (MOD). The baby’s overall health is drastically affected when a woman chooses to use drugs while knowingly pregnant.

Mothers who drink too much during pregnancy may have babies with fetal alcohol syndrome. Infants with this syndrome may experience problems such as small head size, heart defects, irritability, hyperactivity, mental retardation, or slowing of motor development. Newborn babies begin to recognize the world with all sense organs from the moment they are born. Newborn babies can hear, see, taste and smell and feel the

As we can see by the four different development domains, the abuse of substances has several negative outcomes and can be severely detrimental to the abuser. Although it is difficult to stop the abuse of substances, people who are dealing with this issue should seek help. Relying on drugs is

Drug abuse is caused by psychological, genetic as well as environmental factors and can have significant damaging effects on health. Psychological factors are associated with the development of drug abuse. Drug abuse often occurs

In others, neurons form more connections. (Martin, 2000) These brain changes can be long-lasting and can lead to the harmful behaviors seen in people who abuse drugs. Adolescents drug abuse coexist with other mental disorders, such as attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder, affective disorders,