The difficulties relating to FASDs may also become more pronounced over time. No, but early diagnosis and treatment for specific FAS symptoms can greatly improve your child’s life. A child with fetal alcohol syndrome needs to be watched closely to see if their treatment needs to be adjusted. Alcohol was not viewed as dangerous for pregnant people celebrities with fetal alcohol syndrome until 1973 when the diagnosis of FAS was first implemented. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not make a public awareness announcement about the side effects of alcohol use during pregnancy until 1977. Because brain growth takes place throughout pregnancy, stopping alcohol use will improve the baby’s health and well-being.
- FASDs can cause behavioral, mental, and physical symptoms in children, which can continue into adulthood.
- Other issues, like learning disabilities or ADHD, may improve with appropriate therapies, medications, and other support.
- You may also find it helpful to contact a support group for people with FASD.
- These are called secondary effects because they’re not part of FAS itself.
- If you’re the parent of a teenager with fetal alcohol syndrome, you likely have a lot of questions.
What Is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
These are a group of conditions present at birth that can happen when a pregnant person drinks alcohol. Children with fetal alcohol syndrome and their families may benefit from the support of professionals and other families who have experience with this condition. Ask your healthcare professional or a social worker or mental health professional for local sources of support for children with fetal alcohol syndrome and their families. Using alcohol during pregnancy is the leading cause of preventable birth defects, developmental disabilities and learning disabilities. However, the only way to prevent FAS is to avoid drinking beverages containing alcohol during pregnancy.
- In the womb, a baby doesn’t have a fully developed liver that can process or break down alcohol, so it can easily get to and damage the baby’s organs.
- A commitment to patient advocacy informs her healthcare writing.
- Children older than 3 are not eligible for early intervention, but they can qualify for special education services before kindergarten or while enrolled in school.
- Alcohol exposure can damage facial features in the first three months of pregnancy and affect growth and brain development at any point during pregnancy.
- There is no “safe” amount of alcohol you can drink during pregnancy.
How to Tell if a Child Has FAS
Parents can also receive parental training tailored to the needs of their children. Parental training teaches you how to best interact with and care for your child. They can be even more sensitive to disruptions in routine than an average child. Children with FAS are especially likely to develop problems with violence and substance abuse later in life if they are exposed to violence or abuse at home. These children do well with a regular routine, simple rules to follow, and rewards for positive behavior. According to many studies, alcohol use appears to be most harmful during the first three months of pregnancy.
What is FAS?
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that occur when people drink alcohol during pregnancy. The alcohol affects the development of the fetus, potentially causing lifelong effects. Many features seen with fetal alcohol syndrome also may occur in children with other conditions. If fetal alcohol syndrome is suspected, your pediatrician or other healthcare professional will likely refer your child to an expert with special training in fetal alcohol syndrome. This may be a developmental pediatrician, a neurologist or another expert. The expert does an evaluation to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms to help make a diagnosis.
- There are a number of medications and other treatments that help manage the effects of FASDs.
- You can contact your local elementary school or board of education to request an evaluation.
- Make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician to discuss why you think your child may have an FASD.
- However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not make a public awareness announcement about the side effects of alcohol use during pregnancy until 1977.
- Prior to research on ND-PAE, diagnostic schema used the term Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND).
Secondary conditions
These domains should be measured using standardized testing, which often cannot be administered until after three years of age. You may be familiar with a condition called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). This syndrome is part of a broader group of conditions called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), which can be caused by alcohol use during pregnancy. The FDA has designated specific drugs for treating the symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol in babies. However, there is no treatment for lifelong birth defects and intellectual disability. Babies and children with alcohol-related damage often need developmental follow-up and, possibly, long-term treatment and care.
Other treatment options
Other fetal alcohol spectrum disorders share some symptoms with fetal alcohol syndrome. All FASD diagnoses require evidence of fetal alcohol exposure in the womb. Binge drinking or heavy drinking throughout pregnancy might increase the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome. However, drinking any amount of alcohol during pregnancy can potentially increase the risk of developmental delays and birth defects. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most severe fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Growth Impairment and Physical Symptoms
It’s not known whether a father’s drinking affects their sperm or contributes to fetal alcohol syndrome at conception. There is no “safe” amount of alcohol you can drink during pregnancy. And there is no time during pregnancy when it’s considered safe to drink alcohol, either.
What is the treatment for FASDs?
FASDs can affect children in many ways, resulting in differences in thinking, behavior, or physical appearance. However, early intervention and support often help improve child development. Children with FASD are nutritionally and socially vulnerable and may benefit from nutritional education and support. The Department of Neurology cares for infants, children, and adolescents with all types of neurologic and developmental disorders. Rivkin and colleagues at Boston Medical Center used volumetric MRI imaging to study the brain structures of 21 young adolescents with prenatal substance exposures and 14 with no exposures. Adolescents exposed prenatally to cocaine, alcohol, or cigarettes showed reductions in total brain volume and in gray matter in the brain’s cerebral cortex, important in many cognitive functions.
