It’s important to make an early diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome. If you’re currently pregnant and drinking alcohol, stop immediately to try to lower the risk of FAS. A permanent drunken fetal syndrome condition, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) happens when a woman consumes any amount of alcohol during a pregnancy. Alcohol use during pregnancy can interfere with the baby’s development, causing physical and mental defects. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most severe condition within a group of conditions called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).
- If you are consuming alcohol and trying to become pregnant or you are currently pregnant, reach out to a healthcare provider for help quitting.
- You can prevent FASD by not drinking at all while you are pregnant.
- The symptoms of this condition will be with the person throughout their entire life.
- These fetal alcohol spectrum disorders classify the wide-ranging physical and neurological effects that prenatal alcohol exposure can inflict on a fetus.
Can you prevent FASDs?
FASDs can occur when a person is exposed to alcohol before birth. Alcohol in the mother’s blood passes to the baby through the umbilical cord. If you’ve already consumed alcohol during pregnancy, it’s never too late to stop.
- These babies may be normal physically and mentally but have other symptoms such as hyperactivity and behavior problems.
- Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during the mother’s pregnancy.
- They estimate that around 1 baby in every 1,000 born in the United States may be affected.
- Make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician to discuss why you think your child may have an FASD.
- The emotional and behavioral problems, however, may increase.
Neurobehavioral disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (ND-PAE)
Alcohol can cause problems for a developing baby throughout pregnancy, including before a woman knows she’s pregnant. All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer. After delivery, you should continue to pay attention to when you drink alcohol if you’re breastfeeding your baby. Any amount of alcohol during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome.
Alcohol Use Disorder Resources
You also may marijuana addiction choose to talk to a mental health professional. A social worker can direct you to community programs that offer help, for example, Alcoholics Anonymous. If you suspect your child has fetal alcohol syndrome, talk to your doctor or other healthcare professional as soon as possible.
Learning Difficulties Related to FAS, ARND and ARBD
While some deformities of FAS may be evident through prenatal ultrasound, it is difficult to diagnose FAS during pregnancy. The diagnosis is not based on a single symptom, and mild cases may be difficult to diagnose. Some FAS cases may be similar to other conditions that have some of the same characteristics, which can make diagnosis very difficult. Damage from alcohol can happen at any point during pregnancy. The beginning of fetal development is the most important for the whole body, but organs like the brain continue to develop throughout pregnancy. It’s impossible to exactly pinpoint all of the development during pregnancy, making it risky to drink alcohol at any time prior to birth.
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Prenatal alcohol exposure and central nervous system (CNS) involvement are factors common to the disorders encompassing FASD. Evidence of CNS involvement can be structural (e.g., small brain size, alterations in specific brain regions) or functional (e.g., cognitive and behavioral deficits, motor and coordination problems). Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during the mother’s pregnancy. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause the child to have disabilities related to behavior, learning and thinking, and physical development.
The most effective treatments for fetal alcohol syndrome target your child’s specific issues. There are no medications to treat fetal alcohol syndrome specifically. But certain medicines can help with symptoms such as hyperactivity, inability to focus, or anxiety.
- As mentioned previously, complications range in quality and severity.
- A known history of alcohol consumption during the pregnancy aids in diagnosis but is not required for diagnosis of an FASD.
- Although the risk is higher with heavy alcohol use, any amount of alcohol may affect your developing baby.
- Children born with this syndrome experience the symptoms throughout their entire lives.
And there is no time during pregnancy when it’s considered safe to drink alcohol, either. Sometimes the doctor can find severe problems before the baby is born. If your doctor knows about your alcohol use, he or she can order a test (ultrasound) to look for signs of FAS in your baby, such as heart defects or growth delays. The cause of problems that are found during the test may not be clear. But the findings alert the doctor to any special care a baby may need after he or she is born. There are detailed New Zealand guidelines that are used in making a diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
The symptoms of FASDs may look like other health conditions or problems. Make sure your child sees his or her healthcare provider for a diagnosis. If you are having unprotected sex and not using birth control, you must abstain from alcohol.