What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)?
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe a range of disabilities and a continuum of effects that may arise from prenatal alcohol exposure and it is widely recognized as the most common preventable cause of birth defects and brain damage in children.
FASD is not a clinical diagnosis in itself but represents a range of diagnoses that fall under the spectrum. These diagnoses are Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (pFAS), Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ARND) and Alcohol Related Birth Defects (ARBD).
If Doctors have not been specially trained to diagnose FASD, they may misdiagnose affected children with ADD/ADHD or Asperger's Syndrome.
How much alcohol is safe during pregnancy?
Alcohol is a teratogen and a neurotoxin i.e. an agent that is known to adversely affect fetal development and cause birth defects and brain damage. Alcohol crosses the placenta freely and produces equivalent concentrations in fetal circulation to that in the mother.
Researchers do not know how much alcohol, if any, is safe to drink during pregnancy and there is also no safe time for consuming alcohol. What they do know is the risk of damage increases the more you drink and that binge drinking is especially harmful.
So less alcohol is better but even small amounts may cause changes to the developing brain so no alcohol is the safest choice for a healthy pregnancy.
Please don't be alarmed if you are already pregnant and have been drinking small amounts of alcohol – the risk to your baby is low and stopping drinking at any time increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy. If you don't think you can stop drinking it is important to ask for help and discuss your alcohol intake with your doctor or midwife. It is also important to get good antenatal care, take folic acid and have a healthy diet.
Diagnosis & Prognosis
FASD is a lifetime disability. It is not curable, however early diagnosis and appropriate interventions can make an enormous difference to the life of the person with the disability.
An individual who receives a correct diagnosis is in a much better position to benefit from intervention than one who is not diagnosed or mis-diagnosed and receives only partial treatment. Lack of diagnosis may lead to inappropriate and ineffective traditional interventions for behaviour that result in the development of secondary disabilities.
What are some of the signs that might indicate that a child has FASD?
Children who have been exposed to alcohol during pregnancy, may have problems with learning, remembering things, attention span (ADD/ADHD), communicating, doing maths and/or controlling their behaviour. A minority of children with FASD may also be small, their faces may look different, and they may have vision and/or hearing problems.
FASD is sometimes confused with developmental delays and behaviour disorders. Only a specially trained doctor can tell for sure and give a complete diagnosis.
Unfortunately in Australia, very few doctors have been trained to diagnose the disabilities that fall under the fetal alcohol spectrum.
What is different about the way people with FASD may behave?
Alcohol exposure during pregnancy can cause damage to the structure and function of the developing brain. Children who have been exposed to alcohol may develop more slowly and have a difficult time learning and controlling their behaviour. For example, they may appear to learn how do to a new task one day, and not remember the next.
Other common problems include having trouble:
- adding, subtracting and handling money
- thinking things through / reasoning
- learning from experience
- understanding consequences of their actions
- remembering things, and
- getting along with others.
Because of their disabilities, people who are affected by FASD may have special needs that require life long help - even when they are adults - regarding:
- handling money, such as paying rent and buying food
- learning from their experiences and making changes in their behaviour
- understanding consequences of their behaviour, or "cause and effect"
- interacting with other people socially, and
- keeping a job.
Without diagnosis and appropriate interventions affected people may also develop mental health problems, have trouble with the law, drop out of school (or be disruptive in a classroom), experience unemployment and homelessness and/or may develop alcohol and drug problems.
We also know that people with FASD may be very good at many things. They may be loving, affectionate, friendly, artistic, musical, work well with animals and plants, be very loyal and show a great determination to succeed in life!
Support
For support and/or further information on diagnosis and interventions please contact:
National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome And Related Disorders (NOFASARD)
| Ph: | Sue Miers on 0418 854 947 |
|---|---|
| Email: | sue [at] nofasard [dot] org [dot] au and elizabeth [at] nofasard [dot] org [dot] au |
| Web: | www.nofasard.org.au |