Basics about FASDs

Often, having a stable and supportive home can help children with FAS avoid developing mental and emotional difficulties as they get older. There isn’t a direct test for FAS and pregnant people may not give a complete history of all alcohol intake during pregnancy. There is no cure for FASDs, but research shows that early intervention treatment services can improve a child’s development. The extent of FASD symptoms may depend on the mother’s genetic makeup, her child’s genetic makeup, and changes in gene activity caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. FASD can be difficult for practitioners to distinguish from other developmental disorders since these disorders share certain learning and behavioral problems.

• For the woman who carries the fetus to term (or near-term), researchers speculate that, in addition to genetic factors, her nutritional status and general health will affect her ability to tolerate alcohol.
• A child’s overall emotional well-being is often compromised by FASD, says Kristina Uban, PhD, developmental neuroscientist and assistant professor at the University of California, Irvine – Program in Public Health.
• Because children with fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder lack internal structure, caretakers need to provide external structure for them.
• Some women may drink alcohol during pregnancy and have babies who seem healthy.
• A child with fetal alcohol syndrome needs to be watched closely to see if their treatment needs to be adjusted.

Experts know that fetal alcohol syndrome is completely preventable if women don’t drink alcohol at all during pregnancy. After delivery, you should continue eco sober house review to pay attention to when you drink alcohol if you’re breastfeeding your baby. Evidence indicates that alcohol primarily affects brain development.

What do I do if she refuses treatment?

Ethanol and its metabolite acetaldehyde can alter fetal development by disrupting cellular differentiation and growth, disrupting DNA and protein synthesis and inhibiting cell migration. Both ethanol and acetaldehyde modify the intermediary metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Both also decrease the transfer of amino acids, glucose, folic acid, zinc, and other nutrients across the placental barrier, indirectly affecting fetal growth due to intrauterine nutrient deprivation.

The beginning of fetal development is the most important for the whole body, but organs like the brain continue to develop throughout pregnancy. It’s impossible to exactly pinpoint all of the development during pregnancy, making it risky to drink alcohol at any time prior to birth. Fetal alcohol syndrome happens when a person drinks any alcohol during pregnancy, including wine, beer, hard ciders and “hard liquor”. 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.

How does FASD affect a fetus?

If you’re pregnant, trying to get pregnant or think you may be pregnant, don’t drink alcohol. When you do get pregnant, get regular prenatal care (medical care you get during pregnancy). Tell your health care provider if you need help to stop drinking alcohol. Some women may drink alcohol during pregnancy and have babies who seem healthy. Some women may have very little alcohol during pregnancy and have babies with serious health conditions.

If you use alcohol and need help quitting or cutting back, talk to your doctor or counselor. Behavioral issues from FASD may vary widely from one individual to another, says Paul Linde, MD, psychiatrist and medical director of psychiatry and collaborative care at Ria Health. “Many exhibit increased irritability, jitteriness, impaired cognition with poor executive planning and functioning, difficulties with impulse control,” he says. “School performance can be poor due to these cognitive and learning deficits as well as behavioral issues.” In addition, many people with FASD have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, Dr. Linde says. FASD can have striking mental health side effects among children who are affected. Let’s take a look at three of the most common mental health side effects.

Is there any safe time to drink during pregnancy?

No amount of alcohol has been proven safe at any time during pregnancy. The severity of fetal alcohol syndrome symptoms varies, with some children experiencing them to a far greater degree than others. Signs and symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome may include any mix of physical defects, intellectual or cognitive disabilities, and problems functioning and coping with daily life. Any amount of alcohol during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome.

• The placenta grows in your uterus (womb) and supplies the baby with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord.
• Early diagnosis and intervention with support and education services are the keys to success in social and vocational settings.
• There are many types of treatment options, including medication to help with some symptoms, behavior and education therapy, parent training, and other alternative approaches.
• One person might have only a few, while another person could experience all of them.
• The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
• Treatments have been shown to help, but no one treatment is right for every child since one FASD differs from another.

The child may go to see a team of specialists who can help make the diagnosis. They might include a developmental pediatrician, neurologist, genetic specialist, speech therapist, occupational therapist, and psychologist. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or https://sober-house.net/ advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Diagnosing FASDs can be hard because there is no medical test, like a blood test, for these conditions. And other disorders, such as ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and Williams syndrome, have some symptoms like FAS.

Medical Professionals

Diagnosing FASDs can be difficult because, there is no single or simple test that can cover the broad range of FASD signs and symptoms. A pediatric medical home provider and/or other pediatric or developmental specialists usually make the FASD diagnosis after one or more appropriate evaluations. Be sure to ask your child’s pediatrician if you are worried he or she may have an FASD and need further evaluation. This is the best thing you can do for yourself and your baby. In general, babies of mothers who stop drinking do better than babies of mothers who continue to drink. In addition, make sure you get regular prenatal checkups and discuss your alcohol use with your health care provider.

There is no cure for FASDs but identifying children with FASDs as early as possible can help them reach their potential. Research has shown that early identification and enrollment in treatment can significantly improve an affected child’s development and life. FASDs can only happen when a pregnant woman consumes alcohol. However, it is important for the father of the baby or the supportive partner to encourage the pregnant woman to abstain from alcohol throughout the pregnancy.

How Is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Treated?

Make sure your child sees his or her healthcare provider for a diagnosis. Doctors can diagnose the condition based on a baby’s symptoms, especially if they know that the mother drank during pregnancy. In children with milder problems, FASD can be harder to diagnose. The more alcohol you drink during pregnancy, the greater the chance of problems in your baby. There’s no known safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. It’s also recommended that you avoid beverages containing alcohol when you’re trying to become pregnant.

Besides early intervention services and support from your child’s school, providing a stable, nurturing, and safe home environment can help reduce the effects of an FASD. Talk to your child’s doctor or other members of the care team. Children with fetal alcohol syndrome have facial features such as small eyes, a thin upper lip, and a smooth philtrum (the groove between nose and upper lip).

The most profound effects of prenatal alcohol exposure are brain damage and the resulting impairments in behavioral and cognitive functioning. Fetal alcohol exposure occurs when a woman drinks while pregnant. Alcohol can disrupt fetal development at any stage during a pregnancy—including at the earliest stages before a woman even knows she is pregnant.

FASDs are preventable if a baby is not exposed to alcohol before birth. FAS has significant, life-changing consequences for children. Throughout childhood, individuals with FAS may struggle with interpersonal boundaries. They might need excessive physical contact and show hyperactivity.