Alcohol and the Body

Long-term alcohol use is more severe in older people than younger people because older people's body systems are generally weaker.

False

alcohol use

When an individual consumes alcohol.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

A group of alcohol-related birth defects that include mental and physical problems.

alcoholic

A person who is dependant on alcohol.

alcohol poisoning

A severe, potentially fatal, physical reaction to an alcohol overdose.

Which of the following is NOT a learning difficulty children with fetal alcohol syndrome face? A. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause children to have increased IQs. B. Many children with fetal alcohol syndrome have a learning disorder. C. Children may have damaged language skills and lower reading levels. D. Fetal use of alcohol can cause children to have difficulty with memories.

A. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause children to have increased IQs.

Which of the following is a short-term effect of alcohol use? A. confusion B. cirrhosis C. blindness D. tremors

A. confusion

Which of the following is NOT a symptom of alcohol poisoning? A. high body temperature B. vomiting C. irregular heartbeat D. severe dehydration

A. high body temperature

In your own words, define alcoholism and describe two ways in which alcohol contributes to societal problems.

Alcoholism is a disease that afflicts numerous people worldwide. An alcoholic has an uncontrollable need to drink alcohol. Alcohol is related to many societal problems. For example, many alcoholics are unemployed because they can't keep a job. Alcohol is also tied to numerous motor vehicle accidents and numerous domestic violence and child neglect cases. Substance abuse treatments can be costly and a percentage of the costs falls on society and individuals in the form of higher costs for items like health care and car insurance. Also, a percentage of the costs for arrests and incarceration is paid for by taxpayers.

Which of the following BEST describes the short-term effects that alcohol has on the nervous system? A. Alcohol affects one's movement, speech, and vision and causes one's breathing to speed up and become irregular. B. Alcohol dulls concentration, impairs coordination, and causes one's thought process to be disorganized. C. Alcohol impairs hearing and speech and causes one's memory to be heightened. D. Alcohol affects one's memory, impairs sensory processing, and causes one's blood pressure to increase.

B. Alcohol dulls concentration, impairs coordination, and causes one's thought process to be disorganized.

Which of the following is NOT an effect of alcohol on the digestive system? A. Production of stomach acid increases, which can result in nausea or vomiting. B. Excessive amounts of alcohol can cause breathing to slow, become irregular, or stop. C. When alcohol is metabolized in the liver, the chemicals can cause inflammation and scarring. D. Alcohol can lead the kidneys to increase urine output, which can lead to dehydration.

B. Excessive amounts of alcohol can cause breathing to slow, become irregular, or stop.

Which of the following statement is TRUE about the effect that alcohol has on society? A. Alcohol is a contributing factor to many of society's problems, such as budget deficits and healthcare costs B. Many societal problems are directly related to alcohol, such as domestic violence and child neglect. C. Apart from motor vehicle accidents, alcohol has a minimal contribution to societal problems D. Alcohol is the contributing factor that leads to all of society's problems, including unemployment.

B. Many societal problems are directly related to alcohol, such as domestic violence and child neglect.

Which of the following is NOT a factor that influences a person's reaction to alcohol? A. amount and rate of intake B. intellectual capacity C. gender and body size D. weight and age

B. intellectual capacity

Which of the following BEST describes the effects that fetal alcohol syndrome has on a child's mental abilities? A. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause parts of the brain to shut down, leading to a learning disability. B. Fetal exposure to alcohol can damage a child's central nervous system, making it physically painful for them to learn fine motor skills. C. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause parts of the brain to be underdeveloped and can cause mental retardation. D. Fetal exposure to alcohol is the cause of numerous mental abnormalities, such as a smaller cerebrum.

C. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause parts of the brain to be underdeveloped and can cause mental retardation.

Alcoholism isn't a "real" addiction.

False

Although Joshua is an alcoholic, he is able to control his drinking when he parties with his friends.

False

April has only consumed one glass of wine, so her body isn't affected by the alcohol because short-term effects only begin with the second drink.

False

Imagine that you're working in a health department and have been tasked with creating a handout that outlines the effects of alcohol on a fetus. Explain what fetal alcohol syndrome is and explain in detail one harmful effect that you believe parents should know about.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a group of alcohol-related birth defects that can occur when alcohol is consumed during a pregnancy. Exposure to alcohol can cause the fetus to be born with deformities to the face, eyes, ears, bones, brain, heart, and kidneys. Alcohol can also cause mental retardation and damage parts of the brain and the central nervous system. Children with fetal alcohol syndrome may suffer from behavioral difficulties, such as hyperactivity, impulse control, and control over language outbursts. Children may also have difficulty with memory, language, and communication skills.

alcohol abuse

Occurs when an individual continues to consume alcohol even after it causes physical, legal, mental, growth, or health problems.

Explain the effects that alcoholism has on school performance and give two suggestions that you would give a student to help them overcome their alcohol problem.

Students with alcohol problems are at risk for numerous academic problems, which include low grades, poor attendance, and behavioral issues. The likelihood of dropping out of school increases, and students may suffer from depression and have thoughts of suicide. To help a student overcome a problem with alcohol, I would suggest the following: talking to a school counselor or trusted adult, calling the local or national drug and alcohol hotline, checking into an alcohol treatment center, or attending an alcohol treatment group, such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

Explain the short-term and long-term effects that alcohol has on the cardiovascular system and describe two preventative measures people could take if they want to avoid these effects.

The short-term effects that alcohol has on the cardiovascular system depends on how much alcohol is consumed. Low consumption of alcohol increases one's heart rate and blood pressure. However, high consumption decreases one's heart rate and blood pressure and can cause heart rhythms to become irregular. Long-term effects of alcohol include high blood pressure, enlarged heart, and damage to heart muscles. Two preventive measures people could take to avoid these effects are to abstain from drinking alcohol or minimizing the amount of alcohol one drinks.

Alcoholics generally feel dependent on alcohol and crave it, which is why it's hard for them to stop drinking.

True

Exposure to alcohol affects the blood supply to the fetus and can cause physical deformities to the face, eyes, and heart.

True

Pregnant women can protect their fetus from developing fetal alcohol syndrome by not drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

True

Tara would be considered an alcoholic because she continues to drink alcohol even though her doctor has warned her of the severe health damages it's causing.

True

When a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, the baby is also drinking alcohol because blood freely passes from the woman's blood stream into the fetus's blood stream.

True