Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Symptoms

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a condition affecting infants when the mother drinks alcohol during her pregnancy. FAS involves brain damage, impaired growth, and head and face abnormalities. It is one of the leading causes of mental retradation in the US. If a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy can also increase child's risk of developing FAS. Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome may have problems with memory, attention span, learning, communication, vision, and hearing. Other names of fetal alcohol syndrome include infant alcohol syndrome, birth defects due to alcohol, alcohol syndrome infant.

Symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

 Babies born with FAS tend to weigh less and be shorter than normal. Some of the symptoms of FAS include:

• Abnormal facial features
• Low body weight
• Heart defects
• Small head size circumference
• Low growth weight
• Learning difficulties such as poor memory
• Smooth and thin upper lip
• Poor cordination
• Behaviour problems such as hyperactive and anxiety
• Mental retardation
• Difficulty in day to day activities
• Speech delays
• Poor IQ
• Vison and hearing problems
• Excessive hair

Diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome:

Diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome is based on the mother's history and appearance of the baby. Some of the tests include blood alcohol level, ultrasound and brain imaging studies. Blood alcohol level test shows signs of being drunk. Brain imaging studies such as CT or MRI shows abnormal brain development. Ultrasound shows a slow growth in the fetus.

Treatment of fetal alcohol syndrome:
 
Women who are are trying to get pregnant should avoid drinking any amount of alcohol. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can be dangerous to your baby and is the leading cause of birth defects.