Educational Media Reviews Online

A look at the causes, symptoms, and the prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome through the eyes of those suffering from it, mothering those affected by it, and experts researching it. Fetal Alcohol Exposure: Changing the Future is recommended for libraries supporting programs in nursing, allied health, child development and psychosocial health. The film presents the basics of FAS and then goes further by focusing on solutions for helping afflicted children and young adults.

The focus is on the mothers of two children with FAS: a five-year old boy with the developmental age of 3, and an adult woman who suffers from mental retardation. The moms discuss how they realized too late what their drinking did to their babies in utero, and how they both decided to confront the problem and create as functional a life as they can for their children. The program also cameos a young woman who has learned to live with her FAS and is independent enough to live a fairly normal life. While the mothers can get sober, the children remain victims for life.

Thanks to the open, honest reflections of all the people in this program, a clear description of FAS emerges, backed up by facts supplied throughout the program. Highlighting coping mechanisms and prevention tactics, this program takes a slightly different approach than many introductions to fetal alcohol syndrome.