Q: What is fetal alcohol syndrome?

Posted Wednesday, January 16, 2008 10:09 PM

Q: What is fetal alcohol syndrome?

A: Essentially, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a physical and mental disorder caused by a pregnant woman ingesting too much booze. It is a permanent condition, present at birth and spanning the entire life of the child, and can be totally prevented by not drinking when you’re pregnant (go figure).

Babies with FAS generally have abnormal facial features (including a small head, small eyes, flattened cheekbones, and a small upper mouth), growth deficiencies, and central nervous system problems. They might also have heart defects, defects in other organs, or problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication, vision, or hearing.

Sometimes babies do not exhibit all of these symptoms and are instead diagnosed with another fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). These include alcohol-related neurodevelopment disorder (functional or mental problems) and alcohol-related birth defects (heart, kidney, bone, and/or hearing problems).

If you’ve already had your baby and suspect that your child has a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), talk to your doctor about it as soon as possible. She may be able to refer you to a specialist who can assess your baby and help you with early intervention resources. Special education and therapy can help children with FASDs to achieve their true potential and avoid consequences such as future psychiatric problems or criminal behavior.

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