Alcohol-exposed kids often ruled by impulse

Roberta waits for friends in front of school.

The impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on impulse control is being studied by a Tucson clinical neuropsychologist.
Kris Kaemingk is investigating how prenatal alcohol exposure affects the central nervous system and changes behavior.
Because of a lack of impulse control, she said, children with fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects need constant supervision.
"There's always a great concern with these children running into the street and getting hit," said Kaemingk, a University of Arizona researcher. "As a parent, you're on, 24 hours a day. Every moment your child is awake, you have to be sure they're safe."
Kaemingk, who recently started a two-year grant, is studying 36 children, ages 6 to 16.
The lack of impulse control, combined with attention problems, creates trouble at school, Kaemingk said.
"They lose track of what they're doing in school, and it can become a behavior problem," she said. "Sometimes it appears they are paying attention when they're not. They're not learning at the same rate and they're not retaining what they learned. It's very frustrating to parents and teachers."
Kaemingk hopes to learn more about teaching these children.
"We already know they have limitations," she said. "How can we maximize their learning? The learning process has to get drilled into their brains. You have to give them something to hear, something to see and something to do. Free time is not a good thing. They are overwhelmed by free time, and tend to get in trouble."
She hopes to develop effective techniques parents and teachers can use.
"One question is, to what extent can they benefit from repetition? We know repetition can help with their learning, but it can also be very frustrating and time-consuming," she said.
Kaemingk said it is important that teachers and parents realize the limitations of these children.
"You can't expect these children to be planning ahead or doing effective problem-solving without help," she said. "Someone has to be there to help them."