Concerned that your child may have FAS
Signs and Symptoms
- low birth weight
- small head circumference
- developmental delay
- organ dysfunction
- facial abnormalities, including smaller eye openings, flattened cheekbones, and indistinct philtrum (an underdeveloped groove between the nose and the upper lip)
- epilepsy
- poor coordination/fine motor skills
- poor socialization skills, such as difficulty building and maintaining friendships and relating to groups
- lack of imagination or curiosity
- learning difficulties, including poor memory, inability to understand concepts such as time and money, poor language comprehension, poor problem-solving skills
- behavioral problems, including hyperactivity, inability to concentrate, social withdrawal, stubbornness, impulsiveness, and anxiety
Features of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
A spectrum (range) of disorders has been described because the features in children exposed to alcohol during pregnancy vary. An accurate diagnosis is important. It can help provide appropriate care for the child and prevent FASD happening again in any later pregnancy.
The features of these disorders include:
- Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) – where a child has problems with growth and learning, and has distinctive facial features and structural abnormalities due to alcohol exposure during pregnancy.
- Partial FAS – where a child has some, but not all, features reported in FAS.
- Alcohol-related neuro-developmental disorders (ARND) – refers to children with problems with learning and behaviour related to alcohol exposure.
- Alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD) – refers to abnormalities in organs such as the heart or kidneys related to alcohol exposure.
There is no specific medical test for the FASD conditions. Diagnosis relies on a doctor establishing a child’s exposure to alcohol during pregnancy, and assessing the child for the features of FASD using the diagnostic criteria for FASD conditions.