PRESCHOOL TEACHER ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE REGARDING FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME AND FETAL ALCOHOL EFFECTS FAITE

The Centers for Disease Control estimate that each year more than 8,000 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) babies are born, and that many more babies go undiagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE), a less severe condition. FAS and FAE have been identified as major contributors to poor memory, shorter attention spans, lower IQs, diminished achievement levels, and other learning disabilities and behavior problems in young children. A survey was conducted to ascertain teachers' knowledge of the syndrome, characteristics that typify alcohol-related birth defects, and prevention measures that may be shared with parents in a counseling session. Subjects were 285 Michigan teachers in preschool regular education, preschool special education, kindergarten, and Head Start. Results of the survey indicated that: (1) the teachers had a moderate awareness of FAS and FAE; (2) the syndrome was a problem of growing significance in their classroom; (3) teachers felt they lacked the ability to identify a student with FAS in their classroom; and (4) only a little over half the teachers' schools obtained a child's developmental history. Recommendations based on the results include the following: (1) schools should include questions concerning prenatal alcohol and drug exposure in health screening surveys; (2) teacher education programs should offer training to familiarize teacher candidates with the characteristics, strategies, and methods concerning the education of children with FAS/FAE; and (3) updated resources and information packages should be made available for parent education efforts and community dissemination. (Contains 29 references.) (TJQ) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** I U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 01500 of ErA.cawriai Reseafcr arc loot000ro0o4 EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION )(CENTER (ERIC) This dOcum ent has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy PRESCHOOL TEACHER ATTITUDE AND KNOWLEDGE REGARDING FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME AND FETAL ALCOHOL EFFECTS FAITE R-P. MACK, PH.D. PROFESSOR AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST SCHOOL OF EDUCATION GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY A RESEARCH REPORT PRESENTED AT THE 1995 ANNUAL CONFERENCE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER EDUCATORS PERM/SSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY WASHINGTON, D.C. P. Mock. NOVEMBER 29, 1995 TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)