Specialists could be a developmental pediatrician, child psychologist, or clinical geneticist. In some cities, there are clinics whose staff members have special training in diagnosing and treating children with FASDs. There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy or when trying to get pregnant. Alcohol can cause problems for a developing baby throughout pregnancy, including before a woman knows she’s pregnant. All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer. Some of the most severe problems happen when a pregnant person drinks in the first trimester, when the baby’s brain starts to develop.
Family / Youth
Some research suggests that a pregnant person’s environment may also play a role. Living drunken baby syndrome in stressful, isolated, or adverse conditions may increase the chance 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, stimulants may help with attention or emotional regulation, while neuroleptics may help with aggression. As a fetus’s liver is not fully formed, this organ cannot metabolize alcohol. As a result, when a fetus becomes exposed to alcohol, they absorb all of it.
Physical signs
- Make sure that people who can become pregnant or are already pregnant learn that drinking alcohol while pregnant can be potentially harmful to their babies.
- This can cause the alcohol levels to remain high and stay in your baby’s body longer.
- Complementary therapies that some people try for FASDs include yoga, meditation, relaxation, art therapy, and animal-assisted therapy.
- You may be familiar with a condition called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
- FASD is caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, which is the leading preventable cause of congenital conditions in the United States.
- This may put a strain on their personal and familial relationships.
You’ll notice we use the term “woman,” “women,” and “mother” in this article. While we realize this term may not match your gender experience, it’s the term used by the researchers whose data was cited. The Division of Newborn Medicine specializes in treating babies with a wide range of congenital and acquired conditions. Many drugs can pass from a mother’s blood stream through the placenta to the fetus. Alcohol is broken down more slowly in the immature body of the fetus than in an adult’s body. This can cause the alcohol levels to remain high and stay in your baby’s body longer.
- The expert does an evaluation to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms to help make a diagnosis.
- The cry of a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome will be similar to those of other babies.
- There is no “safe” amount of alcohol you can drink during pregnancy.
Abstaining From Alcohol to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Alcohol exposure can damage facial features in the first three months of pregnancy and affect growth and brain development at any point during pregnancy. FASDs are caused by alcohol use at any time during pregnancy, even before a woman knows they’re pregnant. Any alcohol — wine, beer, spirits, etc. — that gets into a mother’s blood can pass directly to the baby through the placenta and affect a baby’s development. Partial fetal alcohol syndrome (pFAS) may be diagnosed if a child has at least two of the typical facial features and a mix, but not all, of the required criteria for FAS.
We also discuss how people can prevent FAS and when to see a doctor. Some parents and their children seek alternative treatments outside of the medical establishment. These include healing practices, such as massage and acupuncture (the placement of thin needles into key body areas). Alternative treatments also include movement techniques, such as exercise or yoga. There is no safe amount of alcohol at any time during pregnancy.
Research shows that the sooner a child gets treatment, the better the outcome. Still, identification at any age can help a person get access to support and services to improve their quality of life. More than 1 million babies born annually in the United States are exposed to cocaine, alcohol, or tobacco before birth. A National Institutes of Health-funded study led by Michael Rivkin, MD, of Neurology, suggests that such exposures may have effects on brain structure that persist into adolescence. Alcohol is a teratogen, which means that it is toxic to developing babies.
What to expect from your doctor
It’s important to make an early diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome. If you’re currently pregnant and drinking alcohol, stop immediately to try to lower the risk of FAS. Fetal alcohol syndrome is caused by drinking alcohol while pregnant. When a pregnant person drinks alcohol, the alcohol enters the bloodstream and can reach the bloodstream of the developing fetus. Exposure to alcohol can affect the fetus’s growth and development. Public school systems can also offer support to children with FASDs.
- While some sites imply that babies might have alcohol withdrawal symptoms that could include a high-pitched cry, older research suggests that this might not be the case.
- This article explores the various aspects of FASDs, including the types, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and support.
- Other FASDs have fewer signs or only cause either physical or neurological symptoms.
- You can find a clinic in your area through FASD United’s National and State Resource Directory.
- As a fetus’s liver is not fully formed, this organ cannot metabolize alcohol.
How is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) treated?
It’s impossible to exactly pinpoint all of the development during pregnancy, making it risky to drink alcohol at any time prior to birth. This condition can be prevented if you don’t drink any alcohol during pregnancy. It’s possible that even small amounts of alcohol consumed during pregnancy can damage your developing fetus. FASDs can cause behavioral, mental, and physical symptoms in children, which can continue into adulthood. There is no cure for FASDs, but treatments can help manage symptoms.