This article will discuss the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of FAS in children and adults. When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, some of that alcohol easily passes across the placenta to the fetus. The body of a developing fetus doesn’t process alcohol the same way as an adult does.
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
By Serenity Mirabito RN, OCNMirabito is a certified oncology nurse. A commitment to patient advocacy informs her healthcare writing. One study found life expectancy is significantly reduced compared to people without FAS (most often due to external causes such as suicide, accidents, or overdose of alcohol or https://ecosoberhouse.com/ drugs). Although more research is necessary, some studies show that the craniofacial differences of people with FAS may improve during or after adolescence. The traits most likely to persist are a thin upper lip and a smaller head circumference.
What is FASD?
Each individual with FASD is unique and has areas of both strengths and challenges. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of preventable conditions that can occur in a person who was exposed to alcohol before birth. Alcohol can cause problems for a developing baby throughout pregnancy, including before a woman knows she’s pregnant.
Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE)
There isn’t a direct test for FAS, and pregnant women may not give a complete history of all alcohol intake during pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most serious type of FASD. People with fetal alcohol syndrome have facial abnormalities, including wide-set and narrow eyes, growth problems and nervous system abnormalities. The effects of FASDs can affect every aspect of an individual’s life. For example, research has shown that children with FASDs have a higher risk of Drug rehabilitation experiencing family instability. The difficulties relating to FASDs may also become more pronounced over time.
Child With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): Symptoms & Treatment
- FASD is not a single diagnosis but includes several related disorders, each with varying levels of severity and different symptoms.
- It’s important to also avoid drinking alcohol if you’re trying to become pregnant or think you might already be pregnant.
- Alcohol withdrawal may begin within a few hours after birth, and symptoms may last up to 18 months.
- Drinking alcohol when pregnant can result in miscarriage, stillbirth and an entire range of developmental and cognitive disabilities.
Many children born with FAS have smaller heads than those without the condition. You may inform the pediatrician if you were consuming alcohol during pregnancy for early diagnosis. Do not wait for the onset of symptoms to seek medical help (6). Quit drinking if you are trying to get pregnant or if you think you’re pregnant. Some believe that it’s safe to drink alcohol once the first trimester is over, assuming that the baby’s organs have finished developing.
While there may not be a cure for fetal alcohol syndrome, the more help they receive the better. Their treatment involves providing them with good medical and dental care. Children can be placed in special school programs to treat behavior or development issues. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are not genetic or hereditary. If a woman drinks alcohol during her pregnancy, her baby can be born with an fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. But if a woman has an fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, her own child cannot have an fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, unless she drinks alcohol during pregnancy.
- The alcohol then passes through the umbilical cord and into the baby.
- There’s no known safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
- All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer.
- FASDs are preventable if you are able to abstain from alcohol use throughout pregnancy.
Legal Conditions and Terms
FASDs are a group of health conditions that can occur due to alcohol exposure before birth. They can affect each person differently and may lead to several physical and behavioral issues. Teenagers with fetal alcohol syndrome may experience behavioral, cognitive, and physical limitations.
- You do not need to wait for a healthcare provider’s referral or a medical diagnosis to make this call.
- This article explains the behavioral issues that can occur when someone has FASD, alongside tips to cope with them.
- One study found life expectancy is significantly reduced compared to people without FAS (most often due to external causes such as suicide, accidents, or overdose of alcohol or drugs).
Could my baby have fetal alcohol syndrome from the alcohol I drank before I knew I was pregnant?
About half of the pregnancies in the United States aren’t planned, leaving the opportunity for accidental alcohol use in the first few pivotal months of gestation. Physical symptoms such as growth impairment remain unchanged during adulthood, with persistent shorter stature. Brain maturation can become prolonged, and aging can accelerate. The standardised definition of FASD was developed by CanFASD in an international consultative process.
Does fetal alcohol syndrome cause violent behavior?
Early intervention and a stable, nurturing home are important to protect children with fetal alcohol syndrome from some of the other issues they’re at risk of later in life. While there is no cure, resources are fetal alcohol syndrome symptoms available for people with fetal alcohol syndrome. It’s important to talk with your teenager’s doctor if you believe they may have this condition but have not yet received a diagnosis, or if you believe other supportive measures are needed. Teenagers with fetal alcohol syndrome may experience trouble at school because of vision, hearing, or cognitive problems. They may also experience attention or behavioral difficulties. FASDs are a range of conditions that occur if a fetus is exposed to alcohol before birth.
