Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a syndrome diagnosed primarily at birth, has treatments and is easily prevented. There are varying definitions of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome from many medical sites. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) as, “A highly variable group of birth defects including, mental retardation deficient growth, and malformation of the skull and and face that tend to occur in the offspring of women who consume large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy.” The Mayo Clinic’s definition is, “Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during the mother’s pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome causes brain damage and growth problems. The problems caused by fetal alcohol

Some children have symptoms that are quite severe while others are rather mild. Signs and symptoms of FAS can include any combination of physical defects, cognitive disabilities and challenges coping with daily living. The Mayo Clinic website has very helpful descriptions of the symptoms of FAS. Some symptoms are physical while others include brain and central nervous system problems. Social and behavioral issues can be a problem as children grow and learn. FAS cannot be diagnosed before birth. Doctors watch the development of the child and possible symptoms of FAS in order to diagnose. There has to be evidence of the biological mother 's alcoholic drinking during pregnancy before testing. In order to have a complete diagnosis of this syndrome, a detailed combination of assessments need to be done. A neurologist or developmental pediatrician needs to have proof of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, measurements of physical features, a record of growth and development and knowledge of the child 's brain size and growth over time. it is also necessary to know the child 's cognitive learning and language development. Assessing health issues and watching social and behavioral problems help to complete the required data to diagnose

The brain and central nervous system problems, with a child on the spectrum, will include issues such as: poor coordination, balance, memory, attention, processing speed, reasoning, intellect, judgment, mood regulation, and difficulties with hyperactivity. Even though this list of challenges is long, it is important to know that there are just as many social and behavioral problems as well. Children with FAS tend to have difficulty in school. Their ability to stay on task and set goals, such as research papers present a large challenge to children with FAS. They also have poor social skills, causing trouble getting along with others. Adapting to change and switching from one task to another are other signs of FAS. Often students with FAS have problems with behavior and are impulsive. This makes it difficult to stay out of trouble in school. bAll of these social and behavioral signs are used to determine a diagnosis for FAS.
Early diagnosis may reduce some long term problems with symptoms as long as there is strong intervention. There is no cure, but early intervention services will improve the odds of lessening the development of secondary disabilities. Some of the interventions a child may receive can include include special education teachers, speech therapists. physical therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists. Various medications are also an option to help certain symptoms; especially focus issues and mood