Foetal alcohol syndrome

Foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a disorder that affects babies whose mothers drank alcohol while they were pregnant.

Symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome include facial deformities, stunted growth and brain damage. The severity of symptoms ranges from mild to severe and there is no cure for foetal alcohol syndrome.

Foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a disorder that affects babies whose mothers drank alcohol while they were pregnant. Alcohol can damage the developing brain of a baby in the womb, causing problems with learning and behaviour.

Symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome include facial deformities, stunted growth and brain damage.

Symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome include facial deformities, stunted growth and brain damage. Children with the condition can also have trouble with movement, balance, vision and hearing; learning; managing emotions and developing social skills; hyperactivity and impulse control; communication (speech); joints/muscles/bones/organs like kidneys & heart. These problems are permanent but early treatment and support can help limit their impact on a child's life.

The severity of symptoms ranges from mild to severe.

The severity of symptoms ranges from mild to severe. Mild symptoms may include learning disabilities, difficulty with reading and writing, behavioural problems, or social withdrawal. Severe symptoms may include mental or physical disability and an inability to function in daily life. In cases where alcohol was consumed for a long period of time during pregnancy (in excess of 5-6 weeks), there is a higher risk for severe FASD. The risk of FASD is higher the more you drink.

Experts don't know the safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant, so they recommend not drinking at all.

There is no safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant* (NHS, 2022). The risks associated with drinking during pregnancy are well-documented and significant, so doctors recommend that expectant mothers abstain from drinking altogether. There's a lot of conflicting information about how much alcohol is too much for a developing fetus, but experts agree that alcohol can have negative effects on the baby.

If you do choose to drink while pregnant, try not to binge drink or do it regularly—and if you're already thinking about having another child in the future, take steps now to quit cold turkey—but whatever you do, don't risk your baby's health by drinking at all!

There's no cure for foetal alcohol syndrome.

There's no cure for foetal alcohol syndrome.

Treatment is based on the symptoms you have and how severe they are. Treatment will depend on the severity of your symptoms, and may include:

• Speech and language therapy - to help with communication problems

• Physiotherapy - which helps people who have difficulty moving around or using their bodies for everyday tasks, such as eating or dressing themselves

• Occupational therapy - which helps people with everyday tasks in a variety of settings (for example, cooking a meal at home)

When you're pregnant, it's important not to drink any alcohol.

The safest thing to do if you're pregnant is to completely avoid alcohol. It's never safe for a baby to be exposed to alcohol in the womb. Alcohol can harm your baby before it’s born and affect its development after it's born.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you to understand a little more about the effects of foetal alcohol syndrome. It can be devastating for both mother and child, but there are ways to reduce your risk of getting it by avoiding alcohol completely when pregnant or trying to conceive.

NHS, 2022: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/foetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder/