Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
FASD
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
brain development and changes
small overall head circumference, also known as microcephaly, includes head circumer
Documentation of three facial abnormalities
smooth philtrum thin vermillion border small palpebral fissures
alcohol kills
specific cells in the developing brain
there is no known
safe level of alcohol use during pregnancy
embryonic stage:
3rd post-conception week of pregnancy is considered the most critical for alcohol, functioning as a teratogen
Social and emotional disabilities
ADHD/ADD, cognitive and memory deficits, speech language disorders, delayed development, social skills
prenatal ALCOHOL EXPOSURE CAN PERMANENTLY
DAMAGE THE BRAIN, AFFECTING IMPORTANT STRUCTURES SUCH AS THE CEREBELLUM AND CORPUS CALLOSUM, AS WELL AS SPECIFIC CELL POPULATIONS IN MANY OTHER REGIONS OF THE BRAIN
to assist with differential diagnosis between
FAS and environmental causes for CNS abnormalities it is important to obtain a complete and detailed history for the individual and his or her family
Fetal exposure to alcohol
alcohol diffuses through placenta, concentration in fetal blood is the same as in the mother's blood within a few minutes, the fetus is able to metabolize alcohol only 10% as fast as the mother
the amount and timing of maternal
alcohol use determine the type and extent of resulting birth defects
Typical birth or latent effects
attention deficits, language difficulties, learning disabilities, impulsive behavior, poor judgement
exposure to alcohol during development
can cause damage to organs and regions other the brain
visualization of the brain of a alcohol
corpous callosum is removed
By the ninth week of development caused by damage
damage caused by alcohol to the brain at this time and until birth can result in abnormal brain function
Criteria for FAS diagnosis, diagnosis requires the presence of all 3 of the following:
documentation of three facial abnormalities, Documentation of growth deficits (height/weight <10th percentile at birth, or intrauterine growth retardation) Documentation of CNS abnormalities
motor functioning delays
for infants-poor sucking, feeding difficulties, delayed motor milestones, difficulty writing or drawing, balance problems, poor dexterity
over half of all pregnacies
in the US are unplanned
average 3 drinks/day following conception
increases risk of having an FAS child
Public health education about FAS
no one knows that a "safe" amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy may be, health advisories urge women who are planning pregnancy or are pregnant not to drink alcohol
Difficulties identifying FAS
physicians describe facial features differently, and often with no consistency, lack of FAS knowledge among care providers, no documentation of mother's drinking habits in medical records
FAS is 100%
preventable if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant
clinically significant brain abnormalities observable through imaging techniques
reduction in size of brain, areas of the brain, change in or absence of corpus callosum, change in cerebellum or basal ganglia
full blown fetal alcohol syndrome
represents only the "tip of the iceberg" relative to all alcohol-related birth defects (ARBDs)
FAS
the most severe diagnosis on the spectrum of alcohol related disorders
most women who drink alcohol will continue
to drink until their pregnancy is confirmed
