Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
What Is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
The characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) are very serious and something that people should educate themselves about. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can have severe effects; children born to mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy can exhibit the characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause physical deformities in the child, mental and learning deficiencies and disorders, vision problems, and a range of behavioral issues.
When an expectant mother drinks alcohol, it passes freely through the placenta to the baby. So whatever you drink during pregnancy, so does your baby!
Most people understand that alcohol and pregnancy do not go well together, but many people believe that drinking just a little bit of alcohol during pregnancy is not dangerous. It’s important to know that consuming any amount of alcohol can cause irreversible problems for the child. Unfortunately, there is no cure or treatment for fetal alcohol syndrome. The earlier a child is diagnosed, the better the prognosis. However, there is still no way to get rid of the characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome once a child is already affected.
In order to receive a proper diagnosis, it’s helpful if you are familiar with some of the signs and symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Some of the main characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome are:
- Less than normal birth weight
- Abnormalities/decrease in the circumference of the head
- Behavioral issues, such as poor impulse control, anxiety, having a hard time concentrating, and hyperactivity
- Having a hard time making and keeping friends
- Physical abnormalities, such as flattening in the cheekbones, smaller than normal eye openings, thinning of the upper lip, and flattening of the space between the nose and the upper lip
- Poor fine motor skills and problems with coordination
- Low IQ or intellectual disability –> difficulty in school
- Problems with vision or hearing
How can you know if your child will be born with any of these signs or symptoms?
There is no way to know precisely how much alcohol it takes to cause fetal alcohol syndrome – it will be different for every individual. Generally speaking, these problems are the result of chronic alcohol abuse. However, many more children who don’t fit the exact diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome still exhibit many signs and symptoms. They may not be considered to have full-blown FAS, but the problems they exhibit can be just as harmful and disruptive to their lives. The only way to know for sure that your child won’t be born with any of the characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome is to avoid alcohol during pregnancy altogether.
One of the problems is that many women continue to drink because they don’t yet know that they are pregnant. The most damage is done to the fetus when women drink during these beginning months of pregnancy. If you think you might be pregnant or you are trying to get pregnant, don’t drink until you’re absolutely certain that you aren’t. No matter how far into the pregnancy you are, alcohol consumption can have a terrible effect on the child. The only safe amount of alcohol to drink while you are pregnant is no alcohol.
How to Avoid Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Don’t drink alcohol while pregnant! Once you find out that you are pregnant, stop drinking immediately.