What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
Fetal alcohol syndrome is a group of problems in children born to mothers who drank alcohol during their pregnancy. These babies are usually small and underweight. They often have small eyes and a small head. They often have birth defects such as delayed development, heart defects and vision or hearing problems. As they grow older, they may have behavior problems. The most serious problem is mental retardation.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of malformations and disabilities resulting from a pregnant woman drinking heavily during her pregnancy. FAS will not occur if the father was drinking heavily or if the pregnant woman was drinking a very small amount of alcohol on rare occasions. Heavy drinking on a consistent basis or binge drinking on an occasional basis can produce FAS. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is currently the leading cause of mental retardation in the United States.
WebMD Feature Like any syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a group of signs and symptoms that appear together and indicate a certain condition. In the case of FAS, the signs and symptoms are birth defects that result from a woman’s use of alcohol during her pregnancy. Among their symptoms, children with FAS may grow less quickly than other children, have facial abnormalities and have problems with their central nervous systems, including mental retardation. In the United States, FAS is one of the leading causes of birth defects and is thought to be the most common cause of preventable mental retardation. Each year between 5,000 and 12,000 American babies are born with the condition. FAS is sometimes called fetal alcohol abuse syndrome. Symptoms Usually, FAS is diagnosed only when a child has the following major clinical manifestations, or signs: • Growth retardation • Characteristic facial features, such as: • Small eyes with drooping upper lids • Short, upturned nose • Flattened
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is one of the most common causes of mental retardation and the only one that is 100% preventable. The effects are irreversible and last a lifetime. The effects of FAS include: mental retardation, malformations of the skeletal system and major organ systems (specifically the heart and brain), growth deficiencies, central nervous system problems, poor motor skills, mortality, and problems with learning, memory, social interaction, attention span, problem solving, speech and/or hearing. There are also facial features that are characteristic of babies with FAS. These features include: small eyes, short or upturned nose, flat cheeks, and thin lips. These features fade as the child grows up, but the child is left with a lifetime of difficulties trying to cope with other effects.
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a serious health problem that tragically affects its victims and their families, but that is completely preventable. Causing a child to suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome is really nothing short of child abuse and it lasts for life. Babies born with FAS tend to weigh less and be shorter than normal. They usually suffer from: • smaller heads • deformed facial features • abnormal joints and limbs • poor coordination • problems with learning • short memories 1 Victims of fetal alcohol syndrome often experience mental health problems, disrupted school experience, inappropriate sexual behavior, trouble with the law, alcohol and drug problems, difficulty caring for themselves and their children, and homelessness.
