Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

NORD is not a medical provider or health care facility and thus can neither diagnose any disease or disorder nor endorse or recommend any specific medical treatments. Patients must rely on the personal and individualized medical advice of their what causes fetal alcohol syndrome qualified health care professionals before seeking any information related to their particular diagnosis, cure or treatment of a condition or disorder. Early intervention is important in enabling affected children to reach their potential.

• The more women drink during pregnancy, the more likely their baby is to develop symptoms related to FAS.
• Drinking during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome.
• Alcohol-induced birth defects involving one or more structures or systems may result from one predominant primary mechanism and/or pathogenic cascade or from simultaneous insult to more than one distinct pathway.
• As reflected in the term, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder , prenatal alcohol exposure can result in myriad abnormal endpoints.
• In fact, alcohol is the leading cause of preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities in the United States.

The baby may have problems with feeding and abdominal distention related to alcohol withdrawal. Help with oral feeding may be obtained from an occupational therapist. The Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder requires central nervous system neurodevelopmental abnormalities or a complex pattern of behavioral or cognitive abnormalities, including learning disabilities and attention deficit problems. Another alcohol exposure disorder is Alcohol Related Birth Defects . ARBD requires the presence of congenital abnormalities, including malformations in the cardiac system, the skeletal system, the kidney system, the eyes, or the auditory system. While no one knows how many drinks cause FAS, the more alcohol a mother drinks, the higher the chances that her fetus will have tissue and organ damage, including brain damage. Binge drinking — which is defined as having four or more drinks at one time — may make it worse.

Behavioral Problems

Biomarkers being studied include fatty acid ethyl esters detected in the meconium and hair. FAEE may be present if chronic alcohol exposure occurs during the 2nd and 3rd trimester since this is when the meconium begins to form. Concentrations of FAEE can be influence by medication use, diet, and individual genetic variations in FAEE metabolism however. Evidence of a CNS structural impairment due to prenatal alcohol exposure will result in a diagnosis of FAS, and neurological and functional impairments are highly likely. Several characteristic craniofacial abnormalities are often visible in individuals with FAS.

There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy or when trying to get pregnant. Alcohol can cause problems for a developing baby throughout what is fetal alcohol syndrome pregnancy, including before a woman knows she’s pregnant. All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome In Babies

The brain is still developing then, and this process can be interrupted by even moderate amounts of alcohol. Besides FAS, the other FASDs are alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder and alcohol-related birth defects . These problems can be prevented by not drinking any alcohol during pregnancy. Do not drink if you are trying to get pregnant or think you may be pregnant. Fetal alcohol syndrome is completely preventable in children whose mothers don’t drink during pregnancy. If you have adopted a child or are providing foster care, you may not know if the biological mother drank alcohol while pregnant — and it may not initially occur to you that your child may have fetal alcohol syndrome. However, if your child has problems with learning and behavior, talk with his or her doctor so that the underlying cause might be identified.

Drinking any quantity during pregnancy, the risk of giving birth to a child with FASD is about 15%, and to a child with FAS about 1.5%. Drinking large quantities, defined as 2 standard drinks a day, or 6 standard drinks in a short time, carries a 50% risk of a FAS birth. There is some controversy surrounding the “zero-tolerance” what causes fetal alcohol syndrome approach taken by many countries when it comes to alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The assertion that moderate drinking causes FAS is said to lack strong evidence and, in fact, the practice of equating a responsible level of drinking with potential harm to the fetus may have negative social, legal, and health impacts.

What Are Risk Factors For Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?

Although there is no cure for FAS, there are some protective factors that can be implemented to lessen or prevent the development of secondary conditions associated with FAS. Some alternative treatments can help children with FAS reach their full potential.

Public school systems can also offer support to children with FASDs. State and local social services can help families with special education and social services. Children with FASDs also are helped by being what causes fetal alcohol syndrome in a loving, nurturing, and stable home. This means that someone else takes over the care of the child for a short time. This gives the parents a break so they can take care of other family needs.

Are There Treatments That Help With Fasds?

Pre-natal alcohol related disability is one of the most preventable causes of cognitive and neurobehavioral disability. FAS is an incurable, permanent condition which can affect every aspect of a fetal alcohol syndrome child’s life, as well as the lives of family members.

These therapies may include massage, acupuncture or biofeedback. Relaxation techniques such as yoga can help alleviate anxiety caused by the disorder. People with fetal alcohol syndrome may experience a range of physical and behavioral problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These complications can affect many facets of life, including an individual’s ability to learn and develop friendships.

Drinking Alcohol If Youre Trying To Get Pregnant

It’s never too late to stop drinking during your pregnancy, but the sooner you stop, the better it is for your baby. Experts know that fetal alcohol syndrome is completely preventable if women don’t drink alcohol at all during pregnancy. If you suspect your child has fetal alcohol syndrome, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. Early diagnosis may help to reduce problems such as learning difficulties and behavioral issues. All women of child bearing age should understand that there is, at this time, no known minimum amount of alcohol that can be consumed safely during pregnancy. Alcohol should never be consumed if the woman expects to become pregnant or is already pregnant.

Some experts estimate that approximately 40,000 babies may be born with an FASD in the United States each year. Based on studies of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others, it is estimated that in the United States, somewhere between 800 and 8,000 babies could be born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome . If you cannot stop drinking, talk with your doctor or contact local Alcoholics Anonymous groups, particularly a women’s group, or a local alcohol counselor or treatment center. AA is a cost-free fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. Your doctor is not giving you advice based on the best and most recent research available. Children of mothers who don’t drink alcohol while they’re pregnant won’t develop fetal alcohol syndrome. A child with fetal alcohol syndrome needs to be watched closely to see if their treatment needs to be adjusted.