Alcohol and the Body Practice

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

A

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

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 intellectual disabilities. D. Fetal exposure to alcohol is the cause of numerous mental abnormalities, such as a smaller cerebrum.

C

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

F

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.

F

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.

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.

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.

T

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.