Treatments for Drug & Alcohol Syndrome

Drug and Alcohol Syndrome occurs when substances are introduced to fetuses through pregnancy. The child is born with this syndrome which causes developmental problems and symptoms that are similar to those of a brain injury. This syndrome is usually referred to as Fetal Drug or Alcohol Syndrome.

Prevention

• Treatment for this syndrome needs to start before the child is born. The pregnant mother needs to abstain from using either drugs or alcohol while carrying the child. This can be done by using resources of both inpatient and outpatient recovery treatment programs that are found in all states. The only cure to this syndrome is abstinence.

  Children that are born with drug or alcohol syndromes have brain damage for which there is no reversal. These children can also be born with physical deformities which would add to health concerns for present and future treatment. The treatment regiment followed for these children and adults, once grown, is the cognitive and special education procedures that children with brain impairment follow.

Treatment

• Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is also used for treatment of Fetal Drug or Alcohol Syndrome. This includes the use of medications such as Ritalin that tends to slow down the activity in the brain to allow the child to concentrate and stay more on subject instead of the fleeting concentration span that is normally seen in ADHD. This can help in cognitive abilities and behaviors to some degree with these children who will continue to function on a mentally disabled level even with the help of medication.

  Special education is most likely the route that these children will follow as a treatment program. Schools that offer classes that teaches and instructs at a cognitive level and is structured for the child that is inflicted with alcohol or drug syndromes.

  The drug currently being researched for the treatment of Fetal Alcohol and Drug Syndrome called Nicotinamide. This medication is already in use for the treatment of certain skin conditions such as acne. This drug shows promise in preventing this syndrome by the mother ingesting this drug while pregnant. The drug stops the absorption of the substance by the fetus, keeping the baby safe from the effects of alcohol or drugs that have been ingested.