The effects of FAS include mental retardation, malformations of the skeletal system and major organ systems (specifically the heart and brain), inhibited growth, central nervous system complications, poor motor skills, mortality, and difficulty with learning, memory, social interaction, attention span, problem solving, …
What are the effects of Foetal alcohol syndrome?
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): FAS represents the most involved end of the FASD spectrum. People with FAS have central nervous system (CNS) problems, minor facial features, and growth problems. People with FAS can have problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication, vision, or hearing.
What are the 4 criteria necessary for a fetal alcohol syndrome diagnosis?
The four broad areas of clinical features that constitute the diagnosis of FAS have remained essentially the same since first described in 1973: selected facial malformations, growth retardation, Central Nervous System (CNS) abnormalities, and maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
What are the 3 types of FASDs?
There are three types of FASDs: fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD).
How can fetal alcohol syndrome affect a child’s development?
Your baby cannot process alcohol as well as you can, which means it can damage cells in their brain, spinal cord and other parts of their body, and disrupt their development in the womb. This can result in the loss of the pregnancy. Babies that survive may be left with lifelong problems.
Does fetal alcohol syndrome get worse with age?
What are the most common symptoms of FASD? Only a small percentage of affected individuals have the set of facial features—which includes small eye openings, thin upper lip, and flat philtrum (groove under nose)—and growth delays that are most associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Both can diminish with age.
Does fetal alcohol syndrome shorten life expectancy?
Conclusion: The life expectancy of people with FAS is considerably lower than that of the general population. As the cause of FAS is known and preventable, more attention devoted to the prevention of FAS is urgently needed.
At what age can Fetal alcohol syndrome be diagnosed?
In the most severely affected children, FAS can be diagnosed at birth, however, the characteristic physical features are most pronounced between eight months and eight years of age.
What does a child with fetal alcohol syndrome look like?
Distinctive facial features, including small eyes, an exceptionally thin upper lip, a short, upturned nose, and a smooth skin surface between the nose and upper lip. Deformities of joints, limbs and fingers. Slow physical growth before and after birth. Vision difficulties or hearing problems.
How do you discipline a child with fetal alcohol syndrome?
Strategies
- Reward good behaviour: Praise your child for achievements. …
- Look for strengths: Emphasize your child’s strengths and abilities as often as you can.
- Use a safe place: Give your child a place to calm down, express anger or frustration where he is not penalized for acting out.
Can a child outgrow fetal alcohol syndrome?
Children do not outgrow FAS. The physical and behavioral problems can last a lifetime. The syndrome is found in all racial and socio-economic groups. It is not a genetic disorder, so women with FAS or affected by FAS have healthy babies if they do not drink alcohol during their pregnancy.
Can you have mild fetal alcohol syndrome?
Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy can give birth to babies with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, sometimes known as FASDs. FASD is the umbrella term for a range of disorders. These disorders can be mild or severe and can cause physical and mental birth defects.
What are the symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome in adults?
Additional physical effects of FAS that are apparent in adulthood may include:
- organ defects.
- bone growth issues.
- flattened philtrum (groove in the upper lip)
- smaller head circumference.
- smaller than normal eye openings.
- small or absent palpebral fissures (the space between the corner of the eye closest to the nose)
Can alcoholic have healthy baby?
There’s a general consensus that it’s risky to binge drink during pregnancy, defined as consuming five or more drinks in one sitting. But even heavy drinkers can have healthy babies. Only about 5 percent of alcoholic women give birth to babies who are later diagnosed with the syndrome.
How much do you have to drink for fetal alcohol syndrome?
Figure 5.12 A binge drink for women is defined as 4 drinks of alcohol (a glass of wine, a beer, or a shot of liquor) in a two hour period. Many people think that binge drinking during pregnancy is the only cause of FASD and therefore it is OK to have one or two drinks every once in a while, or even one drink a day!
How do they test for fetal alcohol syndrome?
To diagnose fetal alcohol syndrome, doctors look for unusual facial features, lower-than-average height and weight, small head size, problems with attention and hyperactivity, and poor coordination. They also try to find out whether the mother drank while they were pregnant and if so, how much.