Spectrum Disorder Fetal Alcohol (FASD) is the term used to describe the range of conditions that occur in children after exposure to alcohol during pregnancy. This article provides an overview of diagnosis, signs, symptoms and treatment of FASD.
Disorders of fetal alcohol spectrum are totally preventable and the most common preventable cause of birth defects and brain damage in children. Troubles in the order of most to least serious are:
* Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
* The partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (AFP)
* Alcohol-related with neurodevelopmental disorders (ARND)
* Birth defects related to alcohol (ACLA).
The extent of the disease varies with time, dose and mode of maternal alcohol consumption.
Alcohol during pregnancy
The amount of alcohol is not known, if any, is safe to use during pregnancy. We do not know a "safe level" and even small amounts of alcohol can affect the brain development of the fetus. Alcohol is a teratogen and a neurotoxin. A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects and a neurotoxin causes brain damage.
The more alcohol a pregnant woman drinks, the greater the risk of harm to themselves and the baby's development. This is especially true for women who binge drink during pregnancy. When a pregnant woman drinks, alcohol passes through the placenta and produce the same level of alcohol in the blood in the fetal circulation. The most critical time that alcohol may harm the developing fetus during the first trimester, especially between three and six weeks, this is the time when the organs are formed. Excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.
Current national guidelines recommend that total abstinence from alcohol was observed in women trying to conceive, during pregnancy and breast-feeding women. Women who discover they are pregnant and have been drinking small amounts of alcohol are convinced that the risks to your baby is minimal, provided to interrupt or reduce alcohol consumption immediately. Pregnant women who are struggling to stop drinking need support and treatment.
Signs and symptoms
Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder are usually small, facial anomalies have or are affected by vision problems and hearing. Other symptoms include memory loss, hyperactivity and disabled motor. Infants may have a low birth weight, be sensitive to light and noise and do not develop. Specific facial features include a smooth philtrum or flattened (the groove between the nose and upper lip), and a thin upper lip. Other signs include skin folds covering the inner corners of the eyes, snub nose, flat nasal bridge, underdeveloped ears.
Signs behavior
Children exposed to alcohol during pregnancy may have problems with learning, memory, attention, communication, mathematics and behavior. The structure and function of the developing brain is literally damaged by alcohol. There are difficulties with arithmetic associated with handling money, reasoning, learning from experience, understanding the consequences of actions and socialize with others. Other behavioral symptoms include confusion, irritability and poor impulse control. Severely affected adults have these problems too and problems of management accounts or shop and job retention.
People diagnosed or misdiagnosed are more likely to develop mental health problems, not complete schooling, being unemployed or homeless and develop addiction. Less known are the positive aspects of FASD, people with this disorder tend to be loyal, affectionate, friendly, artistic and kind to animals or plants.
Diagnosis
The earlier the diagnosis, the better the outcome for the child, and perhaps for the biological mother is made. The assessment tools and extensive behavioral assessment and multidisciplinary physics are used to diagnose the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder baby or child suspected of having. A diagnosis for your child is diagnosed with the birth mother and possibly other family members.
It is very important that doctors are adequately trained to recognize problems to avoid underreporting or misdiagnosis. Children affected are usually misdiagnosed with a deficit of attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity or attention deficit Asperger Syndrome. Although the forms of FASD are incurable, early and accurate diagnosis allows appropriate interventions and improved quality of life for the child and primary caregivers. Secondary disabilities occur if the disease is not detected or abused. The characteristics of secondary disabilities include life depends, substance abuse and mental illness.
Administration
The diagnosis should prompt initiation of appropriate referral, assistance, support and advice. Support for students is provided in the form of specific education programs, tutors and a structured environment. Repetition, consistency, ideas that contribute to a concrete form, monitoring and modeling are essential components of a management program. Adults are provided with professional support and may need prolonged treatment. Monitoring is an integral part of care, including the management of alcohol consumption on the biological mother.