It is a well-known fact that heavy drinking during pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, causing birth defects. Even though occasional intake of alcohol might not be that harmful, it's better to avoid drinking totally as babies can't process alcohol, and too much exposure to it can seriously affect its development. To top it all, researchers at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have identified 428 distinct disease conditions that co-occur in people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) – a range of disabilities in babies caused by alcohol exposure before birth.
The 2016 study, published in The Lancet, reviewed 127 previous studies to identify 428 co-occurring conditions that affect every system of the body, including the central nervous system. The severity and symptoms of the diseases were found to vary, based on how much alcohol was consumed, apart from other factors such as stress levels, nutrition and environmental influences in the mother's life.
"We've systematically identified numerous disease conditions co-occurring with FASD, which underscores the fact that it isn't safe to drink any amount or type of alcohol at any stage of pregnancy, despite the conflicting messages the public may hear," says Dr. Lana Popova, senior scientist in Social and Epidemiological Research at CAMH, and lead author of the paper. "Alcohol can affect any organ or system in the developing fetus."
Surprisingly, many disorders were found to occur in individuals with FASD than the general population. The researchers performed 33 studies on 1,728 individuals diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) – a severe form of FASD – to establish the frequency with which these disease conditions occurred. The results showed that above 90 percent of those with FAS had co-occurring problems with conduct and nearly eight in 10 had communications disorders, related to either understanding or expressing language. Seven in 10 had developmental/cognitive disorders, and more than half had problems with attention and hyperactivity.
Medical detoxification for alcohol addiction
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) refers to the changes the body goes through when a person suddenly stops drinking after prolonged and heavy alcohol use. The symptoms of AWS include trembling, insomnia, anxiety, and other physical and mental symptoms.
To counter the drastic effects of alcohol withdrawal, doctors may recommend medical detoxification – an initial period of medical management that helps an addict reduce alcohol dependency. Detox is necessary because a person can't achieve complete benefits from the treatment unless alcohol is out of the system. Studies have revealed that if the detox therapy occurs during early stages of pregnancy, the fetus can be delivered as a non-addicted, healthy baby.
It must be kept in mind that the medication used for detox doesn't make someone stop drinking; it actually helps one feel better while the body is still readjusting to not having alcohol. Patients may show symptoms of alcohol withdrawal – ranging from a mild headache to severe delirium tremens (DT) – during the initial seven to 10 days of the procedure. It is imperative to control and supervise the detox process during pregnancy for the safety of the mother and the unborn child.
Recovery and rehabilitation
If your loved one experiences any of the below symptoms, it is likely that he or she may also undergo severe withdrawal symptoms:
- Consuming large amounts of alcohol out of compulsion
- Extreme anxiety or a co-occurring mental disorder
- Delayed reflexes
- Poor balance and general health
At a rehab center patients get to the core reasons behind their addictions and are encouraged to cope with impairments in their lives, so they can move on with their lives without going back to the substance. Life skills learned at the rehab allow patients to have a smooth transition to a more independent lifestyle.
It is not easy to fight the misfortune of addiction to a substance, but with proper treatment and care, a person can reclaim his life and live freely. One can look for a good detox treatment clinic in Arizona or other locations for complete recovery. Alternatively, you can call the Arizona Detox Helpline to learn more about detox treatment clinic Arizona to get rid of substance abuse issues. Call our 24/7 helpline at 866-593-8453 to speak to one of our experts today.
Source : articlesbase.com
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