Duration and prognosis of the FAS
Fetal alcohol syndrome, as is typical of syndromes, is an incurable condition. As described above, only some of the developmental delays can be made up for. Epidemiologically, it has been shown that people suffering from FAS have a shortened life expectancy.
In later life, they will often be upset by social conventions and will find it difficult to establish a stable social environment. In kindergarten, children suffering from FAS stand out mainly because of their “strenuous nature”. It is difficult for them to sit still or to get enthusiastic about something for a long time.
They quickly seem distracted and behave more directly than their peers. Since other children usually have difficulty coping with this kind of behavior, it is more difficult for children with FAS to make friends. The developmental delay becomes apparent already at kindergarten age.
In addition to limited motor and mental abilities, in some cases these children are not yet able to go to the toilet and stay dry on their own when they enter kindergarten. At school, the children affected by the delay have difficulty concentrating. In the course of a school morning they become increasingly restless.
The performance requirements of a normal school are too much for many of the children, so attending a school with special support is what they benefit most from. Dealing with non-sick peers is especially difficult during this time, as the developmental gap becomes more and more apparent with increasing age. As a result, their interests are significantly different from those of their peers.
In young adulthood, the developmental delay shows its full extent. In intellectual development they often lag behind at the level of an adolescent. In addition, they show an increased risk of addiction and depression.
They often suffer from a disturbed impulse control and are considered to have only limited social skills. In general, two tendencies of behavior can be distinguished. While one group tends to isolate, isolate itself and withdraw in fear in the case of excessive demands or stimulus satiation, the other group tends to escape and thus flee the situation. In addition, people with FAS are predisposed to trust people who seem nice to them unconditionally.Particularly in adulthood, this gives rise to the possibility of being taken advantage of or being induced to take unwanted actions.
