Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this thesis is to review and synthesize the scientific literature on
cognitive and neuropsychological deficits associated with children who were
exposed to alcohol prenatally and to highlight possible areas of future attention.
High incidences of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome has been reported especially in
patients from low socio-economic areas. The highest reported incidence is found
in the Western Cape province in South Africa. The devastating part of FAS is that
its affects are entirely preventable. Alcohol is a physical and a behavioural
teratogen. Prenatal alcohol exposure causes structural damage to the central
nervous system and the brain that is vulnerable throughout the pregnancy. A
dose-response association exist as exposure to heavier amounts of alcohol can
cause more harm. The timing and pattern of alcohol consumption also plays a
role. To date though, no "safe" level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy
can be advocated.
Various neuropsychological decrements are found in individuals with fetal alcohol
syndrome or alcohol related neuro-developmental deficits as evaluated on
standardized tests. Mental retardation is commonly found and even individuals
with normal IQ's still display other learning disabilities. IQ's remain stable over
the life span. Along with impaired intellectual functioning they also struggle with
mathematical tasks especially as their complexity increases. Speech and language development is also delayed in individuals with FAS.
There is little variation in the pith and display poor language comprehension.
Attentional deficits are also noted and especially impact on academic functioning.
Clinically, children often present with ADHD but in-depth studies have revealed
that neurobiologically there is some differences as children with FAS struggle
more with encoding and shifting of attention as opposed to other patients with
ADHD.
Difficulties with visual-spatial functioning has also been found. Verbal learning
and memory are also impaired in individuals with FAS. Their poor verbal
learning are influenced by their shallow level of encoding. Problems with fine
motor skills are also noted.
It also appear that all executive functions are impaired. They demonstrate poor
planning skills, initiation, cognitive shifting, slow information processing, their
thinking is concrete and they have poor self-regulatory skills. Behavioural
problems include impulsivity, hyperactivity, aggressiveness, poor social skills and
impaired judgement.
Early intervention is thus essential to lessen the impact of neuro-psychological
deficits on functional adaptation. A sensitive battery of neuro-psychological tests
are also required to identify all the impairments in affected individuals and to plan
more focussed intervention strategies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word 'n oorsig aangebied van literatuur wat betrekking het op die
disfunksie van kinders wie se moeders tydens swangerskap alkohol misbruik het.
Leemtes asook moontlike areas van toekomstige navorsing, is bespreek.
'n Hoe voorkoms van fetale alkohol sindroom (FAS) word gerapporteer, pasiente
uit die lae SES gebiede. Die hoogste voorkoms word gerapporteer in die Wes-
Kaapse provinsie in Suid Afrika. Wat die probleem meer tragies maak, is die feit
dat dit heeltemal voorkombaar is. Alkohol is 'n teratogeen wat fisieke,
neurologiese en gedragsimplikasies het. Blootstelling aan alkohol voor geboorte
veroorsaak strukturele veranderinge in die sentrale senuweestelsel en die brein.
Blootstelling tot hoer volumes van alkohol veroorsaak noodwendig meer skade.
Die spesifieke stadium van alkohol-inname tydens die swangerskap, en die
moeder se drinkpatroon, speel 'n rol in die neurosielkundige uitkomste. Tot op
hede kon geen veilige alkoholsvlak tydens swangerskap vasgestel word nie.
Verskeie neurosielkundige uitvalle is gevind in kinders met FAS en ook kinders
met alkohol-verwante neurologies ontwikkelings probleme, volgens
neurosielkundige toetsing. Verstandelike gestremdheid kom algemeen voor in
kinders met FAS. Kinders met FAS wat oor normale intellektuele vernoens beskik
ervaar leerprobleme. Die intellektuele inkortings bly stabiel oor die lewenspan.
Kinders met FAS ondervind erge probleme met wiskunde, veral wanneer die
werk moeiliker raak. Die spraak-en taalontwikkeling wat kinders met FAS ervaar sluit in beperkte
taalbegrip en intonasie. Hulle kort aandagspan affekteer veral hulle akademiese
funksionering. Die aandagsteuring van kinders met FAS en kinders met
aandagstekort-hiperaktiwiteit versteuring verskil neuro-biologies. Verdere
verskille bestaan ook aangesien kinders met FAS spesifiek sukkel met swak
enkoderingsvermoe en om kognitiewe aanpassings te maak.
Visueel-ruimtelike verrnoe van kinders met FAS is ook benadeel. Hulle sukkel
ook met verbale leer en hulle geheue is ook ingekort. Die inkortings dui op 'n
oppervlakkige enkoderingsvermoe. Probleme met fyn-motoriese vaardighede is
ook gevind, volgens toetseing.
Toetse wat gemik is om uitvoerende funksies te evalueer, het verskeie uitvalle
aan die lig gebring. Probleme in abstrakte redenering, beplanning, impulsiwiteit,
self-regulering, en die lnlslerlnq en prosessering van informasie.
Gedragsprobleme soos swak sosialiseringsvaardighede, aggresiwiteit, swak
oordeel en hiperaktiwiteit.
Die wye neurosielkundige uitvalle wat voorkom in kinders met FAS noodsaak
vroee intervensie om die langtermyn-impak daarvan te verminder. Hiervoor word
'n sensitiewe battery neurosielkundige toetse benodig wat al die kognitiewe
uitvalle kan identifiseer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50170 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Phillips, Leilanie Cashandra |
| Contributors | Wait, J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 54 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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