Today was just sad. I was thinking about just how much prenatal alcohol exposure has affected some my children. What would their lives had been like if just maybe, they hadn't had their first drink before they were born?
This year the Surgeon General and the Centers for Disease control wrote that women of child bearing years should abstain from alcohol use if they are not on birth control. The announcement created controversy and women were telling the government that they cannot tell us what to do.
The announcement may have been not worded correctly, but it was much needed. Think before you drink. By the time a Mom finds out she is pregnant it may be too late to prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Binge drinking and unplanned pregnancies statistics are out there. That unplanned child may grow up with ramifications for life from alcohol. Is it worth it?
In our society the fetus as no rights. My daughter once asked me, "Who cares about my right to be born with a healthy brain and alcohol took that away from me." I couldn't answer that question, but I can raise awareness and advocate and maybe just maybe a Mom will think before she drinks.
I was thinking this morning about how I used to buy toys and how I now buy toys. For my children, I looked and decided if it would be fun and if it would last or become boring ten minutes after opened. For my fasd grandson, I look for things to help fine motor coordination without causing melt down. Will this help his proprioceptive sense. Would it help his concentration. Even play is work for my boy. Every minute of the day is about helping him succeed...
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