What are some signs and symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome?

Answer 1

If a woman drinks alcohol during her pregnancy, her baby can be born with FAS, a lifelong condition that causes physical and mental disabilities.

FAS is characterized by abnormal facial features, growth deficiencies, and central nervous system (CNS) problems. People with FAS might have problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication, vision, hearing, or a combination of these. These problems often lead to difficulties in school and problems getting along with others.

FAS is a permanent condition.

Answer 2

* Small size for gestational age or small stature in relation to peers * Facial abnormalities such as small eye openings * Poor coordination * Hyperactive behavior * Learning disabilities * Developmental disabilities (e.g., speech and language delays) * Mental retardation or low IQ * Problems with daily living * Poor reasoning and judgment skills * Sleep and sucking disturbances in infancy

Answer 3

Prenatal exposure to alcohol can damage the developing fetus and is the leading preventable cause of birth defects and intellectual and neurodevelopmental disabilities. In 1973, fetal alcohol syndrome was first described as a specific cluster of birth defects resulting from alcohol exposure in utero.

Subsequently, research unequivocally revealed that prenatal alcohol

exposure causes a broad range of adverse developmental effects. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the general term that encompasses the range of adverse effects associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. The diagnostic criteria for fetal alcohol syndrome are specific, and comprehensive efforts are ongoing to establish definitive criteria for diagnosing the other FASDs.

A large and growing body of research has led to evidence-based FASD education of professionals and the public, broader prevention initiatives, and recommended treatment approaches based on the following premises:

▪ Alcohol-related birth defects and developmental disabilities are completely preventable when pregnant women abstain from alcohol use.

▪ Neurocognitive and behavioral problems resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure are lifelong.

▪ Early recognition, diagnosis, and therapy for any condition along the FASD continuum can result in improved outcomes.

▪ During pregnancy:

◦no amount of alcohol intake should be considered safe;

◦there is no safe trimester to drink alcohol;

◦all forms of alcohol, such as beer, wine, and liquor, pose similar risk; and

◦binge drinking poses dose-related risk to the developing fetus.

Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics

Answer 4

Mental Retardation