Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE)

Incidence

• 1 in every 750 infants is born with fetal alcohol syndrome each year.

• Fetal alcohol syndrome is the leading known preventable cause of mental and physical birth defects in the United States.

Etiology • Condition resulting form prenatal alcohol

exposure

• When a mother drinks alcohol, it enters her bloodstream and reaches her developing fetus by crossing the placenta.

• Fetus metabolizes alcohol more slowly

• Interferes with delivery of oxygen and nutrition

Etiology

• The more she drinks while pregnant, the greater the risk to her unborn baby. The risk is present at any time during pregnancy.

• The first trimester is crucial for organ, bone and central nervous system development.

Signs & Symptoms • Causes lifelong, irreversible defects

which may include severe physical, behavioral and mental problems including:

• low birth weight

• small head circumference

• failure to thrive

• developmental delay

• organ dysfunction (heart)

• low muscle tone

Signs & Symptoms • Facial abnormalities

• Smaller eye openings

• Flattened cheekbones

• Indistinct philtrum

• Epilepsy

• Poor coordination/fine motor skills

• Poor socialization skills

• Learning difficulties

• Behavioral problems

• Possible cleft palate

Risk Factors

• The more a mother drinks while pregnant, the greater the chance of problems.

• There is no safe amount of alcohol declared.

• Do not drink if thinking of becoming pregnant or if confirmed pregnant.

Tests & Diagnosis • Doctors can’t diagnose fetal alcohol syndrome

before a baby is born but they can assess the health of the mother and baby during pregnancy.

• If the mother reports the timing and amount of alcohol consumption to her health care provider, he or she can help determine the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Tests & Diagnosis • Doctor will look for the

following signs postnatal for possible diagnosis:

• Growth

• facial features

• heart defects

• hearing

• vision

• cognitive ability

• language development

• motor skills

• behavior

Tests & Diagnosis

• A doctor may refer a child to a genetic specialist to rule out other disorders with similar signs and symptoms.

Treatment & Drugs • There is no cure or treatment for fetal alcohol syndrome.

• The physical defects and mental deficiencies typically persist for a lifetime

• Heart abnormalities may require surgery

• Learning problems may be helped by special services in school.

• Parents often benefit from counseling to help the family with a child’s behavior problems

Prevention is Key! • Stop drinking alcohol altogether if planning to become

pregnant.

• Continue to avoid alcohol throughout the pregnancy

• Many pregnancies are unplanned and damage can occur in the earliest weeks of pregnancy

• If an alcohol problem exists, a mother should get professional help before she becomes pregnant to determine her level of dependence on alcohol and to develop a treatment plan

Effects on Occupational Performance

• Feeding

• Sensory Issues

• Gross/Fine motor delays

• Low muscle tone

• Education to caregiver (i.e. environmental changes, interaction & stress)

• Behavioral issues