Alcohol — including wine, beer, and liquor — is the leading preventable cause of birth defects in the U.S. The symptoms of FASDs may resemble other medical conditions or problems. The CDC explains that it’s difficult to know the true prevalence of FASDs. They estimate that around 1 baby in every 1,000 born in the United States may be affected. Other groups, like the National Institutes of Health, have higher estimates — 1 to 5 children per every 100. Other helpful resources include Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).
Dealing with behavioral issues
To prevent fetal alcohol syndrome, don’t drink alcohol during pregnancy. During the first three months of pregnancy, important stages of drunken baby syndrome development happen with the face and organs such as the heart, bones, brain and nerves. Drinking alcohol during this time can cause damage to how body parts develop. And as the baby continues to develop in the womb, it’s damaging to drink at any time during pregnancy. Prenatal alcohol exposure is the leading preventable cause of congenital (present at birth) conditions in the United States.
Diagnosis
Alcohol use during pregnancy causes life-long issues that can be very serious. If you’ve consumed alcohol during pregnancy, talk to your healthcare provider. 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.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
However, early intervention and support often help improve child development. No, but early diagnosis and treatment for specific FAS symptoms can greatly improve your child’s life. It’s not known whether a father’s drinking affects their sperm or contributes to fetal alcohol syndrome at conception. The symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome tend to get worse as a person grows up.
This may be a developmental pediatrician, a neurologist or another expert. The expert does an evaluation to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms to help make a diagnosis. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated specific drugs for treating the symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol in babies. However, there is no treatment for life-long birth defects and intellectual disability.
What can be expected after treatment for fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)?
Diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome is given to infants with characteristic findings born to women who used alcohol excessively during pregnancy. The outlook will be individual for each child, what type of FASD they have, and what treatments/therapies they have access to. Research shows that the sooner a child gets treatment, the better the outcome. Still, identification at any age can help a person get access to support and services to improve their quality of life. Sexually active women who drink heavily should use birth control and control their drinking behaviors, or stop using alcohol before trying to get pregnant.
- In some cases, your healthcare provider might be able to diagnose a child with fetal alcohol syndrome at birth based on small size and specific physical appearance.
- In the absence of characteristic facial findings, the diagnosis of FASD still should be considered in children with growth problems, CNS abnormalities, and a history of prenatal alcohol exposure.
- It’s impossible to exactly pinpoint all of the development during pregnancy, making it risky to drink alcohol at any time prior to birth.
- Alcohol can cause problems for a developing baby throughout pregnancy, including before a woman knows she’s pregnant.
- A child with fetal alcohol syndrome may have specific abnormal facial features, small head size, and problems with development including delayed language, learning, and poor impulse control.
Brain growth in the fetus takes place throughout pregnancy, so stopping alcohol consumption as soon as possible is always best. There isn’t a direct test for FAS and pregnant people may not give a complete history of all alcohol intake during pregnancy. Diagnosing FASDs can be hard because there is no medical test, like a blood test, for these conditions.
- FASDs are caused by alcohol use at any time throughout pregnancy.
- However, recognizing the problem early and getting treatment for symptoms of the disorder can improve outcomes for your child.
- One person might have only a few, while another person could experience all of them.
- When consumed during pregnancy, alcohol crosses the placenta and enters the fetus’s bloodstream.
- And there is no time during pregnancy when it’s considered safe to drink alcohol, either.
- However, early treatment of some symptoms can lessen the severity and improve your child’s development.
- In this case, the mother must have consumed more than 13 alcoholic beverages during each month (30 days) of pregnancy or more than two alcoholic beverages at a time.
- Understanding FAS and having the support of professionals and other parents of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome children with FAS can help families cope with and manage the symptoms of FAS.
- As children with FAS mature, they may have difficulty performing in school, keeping jobs, and maintaining healthy relationships.
However, most studies have not researched FAS symptoms in people over the age of 30. Because brain growth takes place throughout pregnancy, stopping alcohol use will improve the baby’s health and well-being. A doctor, counselor, or therapist can create a harm reduction plan and support system to help the person start to reduce their alcohol consumption in a healthy way. The frequency, strength, and quantity of alcoholic drinks have an effect, as well as the timing of consumption. Drinking alcohol late in a pregnancy increases the likelihood of FAS. Alcohol is a teratogen, which means that it is toxic to developing babies.
Although more research is necessary, some studies show that the craniofacial differences of people with FAS may improve during or after adolescence. The traits most likely to persist are a thin upper lip and a smaller head circumference. To prevent FASDs, a woman should avoid alcohol if she is pregnant or might be pregnant. This is because a woman could get pregnant and not know for up to 4 to 6 weeks. It is never too late to take steps to prevent FAS or to seek help for a child showing symptoms of FAS. People should speak with a doctor or FAS specialist as soon as possible if they have concerns.
Unfortunately, people with FAS are more likely to experience legal troubles, have secondary mental health diagnoses, and have higher rates of suicide. People with FAS have better outcomes if they experience a supportive and loving environment during childhood. Parental training is meant to help parents to help families cope with behavioral, educational and social challenges. Parents might learn different routines and rules that can help their child adapt to different situations. Often, having a stable and supportive home can help children with FAS avoid developing mental and emotional difficulties as they get older.