... although it is important to raise awareness about this syndrome. By placing mannequins in their Nordstrom store bearing the hallmark characteristics* (wide-set eyes, flat affect, open-mouthed dullard expression), the Mall of America is doing just that. I also appreciate that the FAS kids are shown expressing some of the violent traits (Elmo strangling, etc) that sometimes appear in later years. It's also important to note that FAS crosses all racial lines and affects all ethnic groups.
"Mommy, me want to go to sleep. Put bottle down and read stowy!!!"
"Even dough we not smawt, we stiww in wuv."
"I fink I'm pwetty."
I hate my mommy for dwinking while she was pwegnantso I'm going to kiww dis Ewmo."
* Wiki says: Refinements in diagnostic criteria since 1975 have yielded three distinctive and diagnostically significant facial features known to result from prenatal alcohol exposure and distinguishes FAS from other disorders with partially overlapping characteristics. The three FAS facial features are:
- A smooth philtrum — The divot or groove between the nose and upper lip flattens with increased prenatal alcohol exposure.
- Thin vermilion — The upper lip thins with increased prenatal alcohol exposure.
- Small palpebral fissures — Eye width decreases with increased prenatal alcohol exposure.
