ALPS, or fetal alcohol syndrome, is a condition resulting from a pregnant woman's consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. ALPS brings with it many difficulties for the child, causing developmental disorders, learning difficulties and delayed psychomotor and social and emotional development. This is influenced by the damage done by teratogenic ethanol entering the placenta during pregnancy.
Level of intellect and memory deficits
Presence has a major impact on a child's functioning, but also on his or her level of intellect, as measured by standardised IQ tests. The ranges in relation to healthy children vary significantly, but most children with ALPS remain within the normal range. Nevertheless, a proportion of children with the syndrome have learning disabilities, which may be due to memory deficits that are also seen in ALPS, mainly in the form of difficulty recalling words. This is associated with impaired concentration and, as a result, learning difficulties. Hence, it is usual for children diagnosed with ALPS to be educated in school according to an individually determined curriculum, although the currently aligned curricula do not cover all aspects of the functioning of a child with ALPS. The main problems faced by young learners and teachers are problems with reading and any language problems associated with linking sound to symbol. Difficulties in learning mathematics manifesting themselves with problems in grasping certain concepts such as 'time', 'money', problems in making logical connections between cause and effect. Difficulties also arise in natural sciences, mainly due to the fact of not being able to accept certain general principles and rules in the natural world. Another aspect, both at school and in general development, is physical fitness - disorders may appear in psychomotor coordination or motivation [1].
