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What is Foetal Alcohol Syndrome?
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is the leading known
cause of intellectual disability in the Western world. It develops
when an expecting mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy and this
affects the unborn child.
Also known as Andrew Syndrome or FAS, Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is
essentially a series of signs and symptoms that result in the
impairment of the child’s development in the uterus, brought about
by the presence of alcohol in the mother’s blood stream. The timing
and frequency of alcohol consumption during the pregn
There are no official statistics for FAS presentation in the UK,
though the Department of Health have said that in 2002-03 there
were 128 in England and 10 in Scotland.
Symptoms of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.
- A significant growth retardation/deficiency. This is defined as
being below average height, weight or both. Obviously, everybody is
different so allowances are made for the parent’s measurements and
other factors such as gestational age and post natal ‘insults’
(i.e. poor nutrition). - Distortion of the Facial Features. Children affected by FAS
develop very distinctive abnormalities of the facial bone structure
and features, including: A smooth philtrum – the groove between the
upper lip and nose, a thin vermilion – thin upper lip – and small
palpebral fissures – eye width. All of these traits may present in
a child with FAS, and the longer the pre-natal exposure, the more
extensive the distortion. - The facial distortion is a signifier of correlating brain
damage. In fact the more distinctive the signs of FAS, the more
likely that brain damage is present. This is because the face is in
fact part of the brain during gestation. Therefore the probability
of the mother having drunk to the extent of damaging their child,
then stopping in time to save the brain’s correct growth, is
low. - Central Nervous System damage is a central feature of FAS.
Assessed in three areas: structural, neurological and functional -
the damage caused to the CNS can range in severity according to the
frequency and timing of the alcohol exposure.
A 4-Digit Diagnostic Code further specifies the degree of CNS
damage on a measure of four ‘ranks’.
- Definite – Structural impairments or neurological impairments
for FAS or static encephalopathy. (
encephalopathy?) - Probable – Significant dysfunction of two standard deviations
or worse in three or more functional domains. - Possible – Mild to moderate dysfunction of two standard
deviations or worse in one or two functional domains, or by
judgement of the clinical evaluation that CNS damage cannot be
dismissed. - Unlikely – No evidence of CNS damage.
Symptoms of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, Continued.
- Structural abnormalities of the brain, observable as
irregularities of the cranium’s shape. Pre-natal exposure to
alcohol may result in Microcephaly. This is due mainly to
alcohol exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy when the
brain is arranging structural development. Exposure during the
third trimester can damage the development of the hippocampus, and
retard memory, learning, emotion and sensory cognition. - Neurological abnormalities of the brain. When the previous
symptoms are manifest, it is likely that the brain is also impaired
at a base level. These will show as either ‘hard’ signs such as
epilepsy and seizures, or ‘soft’ signs such as poor motor skills or
hand-eye coordination. - Functional impairment of the brain, observable by measuring
ongoing development if the structural and neurological signs defy
assessment. Care must be taken that the development impairment is
not the result of other circumstances such as inheritance or
malnutrition. The observations are made using a series of
standardised tests, and look for learning disabilities, impulse
control, memory, attention, communication skills social awareness
etc.
Alongside all of the above, mostly brain abnormalities, the
exposed child may develop a series of other physiological symptoms.
These are considered to be Alcohol Related Birth Defects, and
although they are associated with FAS, also present when FAS does
not and are therefore not considered FAS Diagnostic Criteria.
- Cardiac – The septums of the Ventricules and Atria of the Heart
do not fully develop. A heart murmur may present, but usually
disappears before 1 year. - Skeletal – Joint anomalies including abnormal position and
function. - Renal – horseshoe shaped, aplastic, dysplastic or hypoplastic
kidneys. - Ocular – light sensitivity, decreased visual accuracy or
involuntary eye movements. - ‘Other’ – webbed/short neck, cleft lip, spina bifida,
hydrocephalus etc.
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is caused by exposing your child to
alcohol while they are still gestating during pregnancy. Although
there are surveys and even suggestions from medical bodies that say
moderate drinking presents no risks, it is highly preferable for
the baby that no alcohol is consumed at all. That way there is
absolute minimal risk to either the mother or child during
pregnancy, and he child has the best chance of problem free
development.
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