Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) refers to intrauterine developmental disorders of a child due to excessive drinking by the mother. According to statistics, 128 thousand babies with such a diagnosis are born annually in the world. The characteristic features of the disease include mental and physical abnormalities in the child. These are underdeveloped limbs, short stature, dementia, small brain, memory impairment, speech delay. FAS Syndrome is an irreversible condition. All methods of treatment are associated only with the short-term removal of its symptoms and the prevention of complications.
Etiology of the disease
What is FAS syndrome in children? The cause of this condition, as already mentioned, is the mother's alcoholism. Regular drinking during pregnancy increases your risk of developing FAS by 20%. The most negative effect is caused by the use of alcohol of high strength during the period of gestation. It can cause pathology even if the woman did not drink at all before pregnancy.
Factors provoking the development of the disease
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Not all women who drink are born with a diagnosis of FAS syndrome. The likelihood of a disease depending on certain factors:
- experience of alcoholism of a woman;
- the amount of alcohol consumed during pregnancy;
- fortresses of alcoholic drinks (vodka is much more dangerous than wine and beer);
- the frequency of acute intoxication during pregnancy.
It is also scientifically proven that the development of FAS syndrome is influenced by the characteristics of the mother’s digestibility of ethanol. Equally important are indicators such as heredity. Professor Elizabeth Elliot has proven that women who live in countries with cold climates are more likely to have a sick child. This is due to a slowed metabolism in the body. 67% of all cases of the disease occur in countries such as Denmark, Ireland, the UK, Belarus, Ukraine and Russia.
Who is at risk?
Does the described syndrome always occur when drinking alcohol during pregnancy? Experts believe that the most dangerous in this regard is the embryonic period and the first trimester as a whole. At this stage, the formation of the internal organs of the child, the central nervous system and skeleton bones is carried out. The main danger of this time period is that a woman in a position may not yet know that she is pregnant, and continue to drink alcohol. This leads to the formation of fetal alcohol syndrome in the fetus.
There is another group of women in a position who believe in the harmlessness of alcohol and continue to use it in the second and third trimesters. But even the smallest doses contained in weak alcoholic beverages can cause irreparable harm to the baby's body.
What causes the disease?
FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) occurs due to the direct molecular effect of alcohol metabolites on the absorption of macro- and microelements by the developing fetal tissues. Under the influence of alcohol, protein deficiency and hypoglycemia occur, as well as vasoconstriction and intrauterine hypoxia. The final result of these processes is impaired cell adhesion, abnormal neuron function and abnormalities in the development of the baby’s internal organs.
Signs and Symptoms
FAS (alcohol syndrome) is not a single disease, but a whole complex of various pathologies affecting various systems and organs. The main sign of damage is considered to be external defects, manifested in the appearance of the child. The disease is also characterized by internal disturbances and mental disorders.
FAS syndrome has fairly obvious external signs. These include a deep-set nose bridge, an underdeveloped chin (the child's forehead because of this begins to seem too large), swollen eyelids. Also, children with this diagnosis often have too small a skull. Signs of FAS also include large, low-set, abnormal auricles. They may have additional folds that healthy children do not have. In 80% of cases, a little underdevelopment of the upper lip and a reduced lower jaw are also observed.
How to determine that a child has FAS syndrome? Photos of children suffering from this disease will help you find the answer to this question.
Possible deviations
How else is FAS syndrome manifested? Signs of the disease are expressed in disorders of the musculoskeletal system, genitourinary system, the digestive system and the heart muscle. Almost always, a slowdown, a weak muscle frame and thinness are detected. Asthenicity and smallness can be observed throughout a person’s life.
Disturbances in the central nervous system are due to underdevelopment of the brain. Deviations can also manifest in poor hearing and vision, poor learning, lethargy and inattention.
Children with this diagnosis require special medical support and social protection. The patient's condition should always be under the supervision of doctors, since children with FAS can be asocial and emotionally unstable. They are not aware of the consequences of their own actions, and therefore can easily harm themselves and their loved ones.
Degrees and forms of the disease
Embryophytopathy, which causes FAS, is divided by the severity into mild, moderate. The first degree is characterized by minor external defects. The symptoms of the pathology can be detected by the doctor only after a detailed diagnosis. Ordinary people may not even notice oddities in the behavior and appearance of the child. Such kids are able to learn in ordinary schools, while they usually lag behind peers in terms of academic performance. What distinguishes children with mild FAS syndrome? Photos of such guys are no different from photos of their healthy peers.
For moderate severity of FAS, severe symptoms are characteristic. Anomalies in the structure of the skull are already more identified. The development at this degree of the disease occurs in slow motion and requires constant monitoring by adults. Such children should learn in special educational institutions.
Severe fetal alcohol syndrome is expressed in dementia. IQ in this case can be from 60 and below. Serious somatic abnormalities and pathologies of the central nervous system are also observed. With the disease, the life expectancy of children is usually extremely low - ¾ children die even in infancy.
Diagnostics
Identification of FAS syndrome became possible only in 1997. To this day, the diagnostic technique is not accurate. The doctor may suspect a diagnosis of the following symptoms during an ultrasound examination:
- craniocerebral hernia;
- failure of the vertebral arch;
- disproportionate dimensions of the skull and brain;
- anomalies in the proportions of the facial apparatus;
- deviations in the development of the upper digestive tract.
- abnormalities of the development of the heart muscle.
However, it is worth noting that none of the above signs is an explicit confirmation of FAS in a child. In 90% of cases, the diagnosis can be made only to an already born child. Diagnosis of FAS syndrome in a baby should be carried out by a neonatologist. In this case, the doctor takes into account such indicators:
- the degree of alcoholism in the mother;
- height and weight characteristics of the child;
- external data.
Examinations such as head MRI or neurosonography are also required. Such procedures can reveal the underdevelopment of the brain. Treatment can be prescribed only on the basis of the data obtained.
Therapies
We examined what constitutes FAS (alcohol syndrome), photos of sick children, as well as methods for diagnosing the disease. It should be borne in mind that pathology itself is incurable. The main threat is complications. The prognosis is disappointing - only 26% of patients with severe and moderate severity survive to the age of 21 years. A child who is diagnosed with FAS syndrome should be constantly monitored in a medical institution. The examination should be carried out at least once every 6 months.
The treatment is aimed at improving the quality of life of the child and eliminating the threat of death. In a serious condition of the patient, doctors can prescribe an operation to correct defects of the intestine, heart and other organs. To correct the appearance, plastic of the lips, nose, and auricles can also be prescribed. To slow down and stop the progression of central nervous system disorders, children with FAS should undergo therapy with a neurologist. Patients are advised to regularly attend sessions with a psychologist. Psychotherapy will help improve social adaptation. Children will learn how to communicate with other people.
Prevention
Every year there are more cases when FAS syndrome is detected. One of the tasks of the World Health Organization today is to prevent the spread of pathology. A special program has been developed, the purpose of which is preventive work with women suffering from alcoholism. If symptoms of the disease are identified, they should be consulted about the risks of giving birth to unhealthy children. It is also important to inform about the treatment of alcohol dependence.
In the event of pregnancy in patients who abuse alcohol, the doctor may prescribe physiotherapy and vitamin therapy. These methods will reduce the risk of deficiency of minerals and vitamins and reduce the likelihood of fetal hypoxia. Of course, this will not guarantee full protection of the fetus from FAS syndrome, but it can reduce the risk of pathology by 10-15%.
Conclusion
We examined in detail what constitutes FAS (alcohol syndrome), a photo of children suffering from pathology, as well as its main signs. The latter are disorders of mental and physical development. There are also certain features in appearance.
A deep-set nose bridge, swollen eyelids, an underdeveloped chin - these are signs that may indicate that the child has FAS syndrome (the photos presented in the article demonstrate this). It is completely impossible to cure fetal alcohol syndrome. You can only alleviate the condition and monitor the further development of pathology.