Fetal Alcohol Syndrome FAS: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

One reason alcohol is dangerous during pregnancy is that it’s passed through your bloodstream to the fetus through the umbilical cord. The baby doesn’t metabolize (break down) alcohol in the same way an adult does – it stays in the body for a longer period of time. Which babies will be affected from prenatal alcohol exposure varies based on genetics, nutrition, environmental factors and exposure to other substances like cigarette smoking. It is hard to predict which babies will be affected and how severely they will be affected from prenatal exposure to alcohol.

Many types of available treatments include but are not limited to:

A child is considered to have partial fetal alcohol syndrome when they have been exposed to alcohol in the womb and have some but not all of the traits linked to FAS. 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. Discuss all your questions and concerns with your child’s medical home provider and other specialists caring for your child. You may need reassurance as a parent and benefit from greater personal and emotional support.

How is fetal alcohol syndrome diagnosed?

• FASDs can happen only when a pregnant woman consumes alcohol.
• Ask your child’s healthcare provider about services in your area.
• Parental training is meant to help parents to help families cope with behavioral, educational and social challenges.
• Often long acting reversible contraceptives such as the IUD or implant are the best contraceptive alternatives.

These are called secondary effects because they’re not part of FAS itself. Instead, these secondary effects happen as a result of having FAS. Children born with this syndrome experience the symptoms throughout their entire lives. Some symptoms can be managed with treatment by a healthcare provider, but they won’t go away. If you did drink any amount of alcohol during pregnancy, it’s important to know that your healthcare provider and your baby’s pediatrician need to know to help you plan for your child’s future.

Symptoms of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

FASDs need a medical home to provide, coordinate, and facilitate all the necessary medical, behavioral, social and educational services. Remember that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. Quit drinking if you are trying to get pregnant or if you think you’re pregnant. If you can’t quit drinking by yourself, get help right away. There are a multitude of reasons why it can be difficult to receive a diagnosis for an FASD. There is a lack of sufficient diagnostic capacity in most areas.

Your doctor may try to confirm prenatal alcohol exposure, and if so, how much. PAE can be confirmed through interviews or review of patient files. While drinking alcohol in the first three months of pregnancy can be the most dangerous, alcohol exposure remains unsafe throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy. Alcohol can interfere with development and cause birth defects.

While there is no cure for FASD, there are many treatment options. While FASD presents lifelong challenges, there is help and hope for children and adults living with FASD. Treatment will vary greatly based on the specific diagnosis, the particular symptoms, and fetal alcohol syndrome the environmental context. Early intervention has been shown to improve outcomes significantly. Physical treatments may include occupational therapy and medical and dental care.

Is there any safe time to drink during pregnancy?

• There are mixed beliefs about how early in pregnancy fetal alcohol effects can impact a developing baby.
• The greater the amount of alcohol consumed, the more severe the symptoms tend to be.
• Fetal alcohol syndrome is on the severe end of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
• If you think there could be a problem, ask your healthcare provider for a referral to a specialist (someone who knows about FASDs).
• During early pregnancy, the fetus is already developing rapidly.
• Using alcohol during pregnancy is the leading cause of preventable birth defects, developmental disabilities and learning disabilities.
• With most agents, a threshold dose for teratogenic effects has not been determined; however, they are usually well below levels required to cause toxicity in adults.

Medicine may help a child’s attention problems or hyperactive behaviors. Over time, your child may get help from special education programs and social services. Some of the most severe problems happen when a pregnant person drinks in the first trimester, when the baby’s brain starts to develop. The brain is still developing then, and even moderate amounts of alcohol can disturb this process.

Kids will have lifelong physical, learning, and behavioral problems. There is no cure for fetal alcohol syndrome or other FASDs. But many things can help children reach their full potential, especially if the problem is found early. Acknowledge that change is difficult, relate her drinking to problems she may be having, and consider referral to an addiction specialist or mutual help group.

Is there a cure for FASDs?

If you’re currently pregnant and drinking alcohol, stop immediately to try to lower the risk of alcoholism treatment FAS. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are groupings of growth, mental, and physical problems that may occur in a baby when a mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most severe form of FASD.