Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Symptoms
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a group of birth defects caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Children with FAS have many physical, mental and behavioral problems and may be mentally retarded. They are small, underweight babies. As they get older, they often have trouble with learning, attention, memory, and problem solving. They may have poor coordination, be impulsive, and have speech and hearing problems.
The effects of fetal alcohol syndrome last a lifetime. Most children with FAS have trouble with work and with personal relationships when they become adults. Many have legal problems.
Fetal alcohol syndrome cannot be reversed, but it can be prevented by not drinking alcohol when pregnant. Symptoms
of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome The severity of symptoms and signs vary, with some children experiencing them to a far greater degree than others.
- Small head circumference and brain size (microcephaly)
- Mental retardation and delayed development
- Abnormal behavior such as a short attention span, hyperactivity, poor impulse control, extreme nervousness and anxiety
- Distinctive facial features, including small eyelid openings, a sunken nasal bridge, an exceptionally thin upper lip, a short, upturned nose and a smooth skin surface between the nose and upper lip
- Small teeth with faulty enamel
- Heart defects
- Deformities of joints, limbs and fingers
- Slow physical growth before and after birth
- Vision difficulties including nearsightedness (myopia)
If a child has some but not all of the alcohol-related problems of FAS, they are sometimes said to have fetal alcohol effects (FAE). Two newer terms are:
- Alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD). This term is used when a child does not have FAS, but does have one or more physical birth defects caused by alcohol. These may be physical defects of the face, eyes, ears, heart, brain, or limbs.
- Alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND). This term is used when a child does not have FAS, but does have some brain damage caused by alcohol. Children with ARND are harder to identify than children with ARBD or FAS. They often have trouble in school and have behavior problems.
Not all women who drink alcohol during pregnancy will have a child born with FAS. But not drinking alcohol is the only sure way to protect your baby from FAS, ARBD and ARND. If you are pregnant and have been drinking, stop drinking now to protect your baby. If you need help to stop drinking, talk with your health care provider.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Symptoms to F
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