Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Effects in Children and Adults
This means that some people with mild symptoms of FASD might never be diagnosed. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during the mother’s pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome causes brain damage and growth problems. The problems caused by fetal alcohol syndrome vary from child to child, but defects caused by fetal alcohol syndrome are not reversible.
Drinking alcohol late in a pregnancy increases the likelihood of FAS. Although the authorities have not approved any medications specifically for the treatment of FAS, doctors may use some drugs to treat certain symptoms. For example, fetal alcohol syndrome stimulants may help with attention or emotional regulation, while neuroleptics may help with aggression. However, with early identification and support, children with FAS can learn important skills that can aid their development.
How Is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Treated?
They likely will collect other relevant information, including substance use, medical, family, trauma, and mental health history. Abstaining from drinking alcohol during pregnancy is crucial to preventing fetal alcohol https://ecosoberhouse.com/ exposure and the development of FASDs in infants. If stopping alcohol use poses significant challenges, such as difficulty quitting on your own or experiencing alcohol withdrawal, you should seek help immediately.
State and local social services can help families with special education and social services. Children with FASDs also are helped by being in a loving, nurturing, and stable home. This means that someone else takes over the care of the child for a short time.
When to see a doctor
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. Because brain growth takes place throughout pregnancy, stopping alcohol use will improve the baby’s health and well-being. While some deformities of FAS may be evident through prenatal ultrasound, it is difficult to diagnose FAS during pregnancy. The diagnosis is not based on a single symptom, and mild cases may be difficult to diagnose.
