From: andre cramblit <andrekar@...>
Subject: FAS PROBLEMS



Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) have particular
difficulty understanding numbers and sequences, a University of Alberta
study shows.

An assessment of 50 Canadian children diagnosed with FASD, a condition
caused by the mother's alcohol consumption while a fetus is still in the
womb, revealed that the youngsters had specific deficits in memory for
numbers and sequences, which may contribute to common math difficulties
faced by these children. Prenatal alcohol abuse often leaves them with
losses in physical, behavioural, emotional and social functioning.

The findings of the study, published in the December issue of Child
Neuropsychology, may help refine assessments of FASD children and
provide a 'neurobehavioural profile' to ensure they receive the most
effective treatment possible, said lead author Dr. Carmen Rasmussen, a
professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta in Edmonton,
Canada.

"Knowing this would help in classrooms with FASD children," said
Rasmussen. The typical teaching rate may be too rapid for children with
FASD, resulting in large amounts of missed information, she said. "The
study definitely has implications for treatment and education down the
road."

The FASD children, aged six to 15 years, scored lower than other 84 per
cent of other children their age on memory tests for numbers and
sequences.

The study also revealed differences among ethnicities. Aboriginal
children (35 in the study) and non-aboriginal children (15) showed
different patterns of strengths and weaknesses in neurobehavioural
functioning. Aboriginal children had stronger visual memories than
verbal memories, while non-aboriginal children showed just the opposite.

This distinction offers the opportunity to adjust for subtle cultural or
sociological differences in treatment and education programs, and it
also gives a valuable heads-up to parents, Rasmussen suggested. "If
parents know what their child's strengths and weaknesses are, they can
help work on those skills."

Rasmussen theorizes that aboriginal children may have stronger aptitude
in visual memory thanks to their culture, which focuses on holistic and
hands-on interactive learning.

By University of Alberta




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