Even light or moderate drinking can affect the growing baby. The FDA has designated specific drugs for treating the symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol in babies. However, there is no treatment for lifelong birth defects and intellectual disability. Babies and children with alcohol-related damage often need developmental follow-up and, possibly, long-term treatment and care. No one particular treatment is correct for everyone with fetal alcohol syndrome.
- This might include providing secondary, back up, or emergency contraception methods.
- Early screening and rehabilitation programs can help mothers who are finding it difficult to give up drinking when pregnant.
How is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) diagnosed?
People with FASDs have a combination of physical, developmental, behavioral and learning challenges that range from mild to severe. Each person with an FASD has their own unique combination of signs and symptoms. Children can be diagnosed with partial forms of fetal alcohol syndrome if they show the abnormal features even when there is no clear proof that their mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. Some children with partial fetal alcohol syndromes show only some of the features. This may be called “fetal alcohol effects.” When a pregnant person drinks alcohol later in pregnancy, sometimes the physical facial features do not develop in the child, but the other problems still happen. In some cases, your healthcare provider might be able to diagnose a child with fetal alcohol syndrome at birth based on small size and specific physical appearance.
Provider Concerns
In one large analysis, 40% of babies with birth defects had fathers who reported using alcohol at the time their partners got pregnant. Comparatively, 31.5% had dads who did not drink, a statistically significant difference. Scientists have sought to explore why some babies Drug rehabilitation are born with alcohol-linked health problems when their pregnant parent has claimed not to have had a drop to drink during pregnancy. Animal studies and some human studies link paternal drinking before conception with health problems in babies, including heart disease, behavioral issues, and more. Infants born to mothers who drink, even in modest amounts, may be born with fetal alcohol syndrome, which often consists of growth retardation, unusual facial features, and intellectual disability. There is no safe time to drink, and no safe type of alcohol for a pregnant woman to consume.
- If you drink during pregnancy, you place your baby at risk of fetal alcohol syndrome.
- Celebrate special occasions with a fun, non-alcoholic “mocktail.” Partners can be supportive by abstaining from alcohol during the pregnancy as well.
- Many children with FAS will need learning support in school.
- Make sure your child sees their healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
- In the womb, a baby doesn’t have a fully developed liver that can process or break down alcohol, so it can easily get to and damage the baby’s organs.
Living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
When a person drinks alcohol during pregnancy, it acts as a toxin and interferes with the normal growth and development of the brain and body of the developing infant. Given the mounting research, however, many experts advise that prospective fathers consider curbing their drunken baby syndrome alcohol use. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a collection of growth, mental, and physical problems that may occur in a baby when a mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy.
Alternative treatments
This can cause the alcohol levels to remain high and stay in the baby’s body longer. Fetal alcohol syndrome isn’t curable, and the symptoms will impact your child throughout life. However, early treatment of some symptoms can lessen the severity and improve your child’s development. There’s no known safe amount of alcohol to drink during pregnancy, and there’s no type of alcohol that is safe. In fact, one small study on 43 people with NAFLD showed that more than 60% had alcohol-producing bacteria in their gut.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a pattern of abnormalities like a range of mental and physical disorders on the developing unborn baby whose mother who drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects range from brain damage and poor growth to birth defects and learning problems 1. A teratogen is something from outside the body that can cause malformation and problems with the unborn baby. Fetal alcohol syndrome happens when a woman drinks when she’s pregnant. Even small amounts of alcohol will pass across the placenta and to the fetus.