The persistent effects of alcohol as a developmental exposure on health outcomes and disease predisposition in later life has been continuously studied and examined evermore extensively since the DOHaD hypothesis. Because individuals with FASDs have increased mortality rate that is contributable in part to systemic diseases, future studies need to continue this endeavor of revealing the pathogenic underpinnings of FASDs and the long-term effects of PAE mechanisms. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE)has lifelong consequences on health. Because early diagnosis may help reduce the risk of long-term problems for children with fetal alcohol syndrome, let your child’s doctor know if you drank alcohol while you were pregnant. As John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE, retired senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), explains, there is no level of alcohol safe to drink during pregnancy.
Drinking early in pregnancy may cause changes in the facial features, heart and other organs, bones, and the central nervous system. Similarly, many of the brain abnormalities seen in children with FAS can be reproduced in animal models of the condition. Brain imaging studies have shown that children with FAS have, on average, smaller brains than normal, and defects in the frontal lobe, the corpus callosum, the cerebellum, the hippocampus, and the basal ganglia. Other imaging studies have shown poorer communication between various brain areas. These changes in the brain affect a variety of abilities, including decision-making, the ability to organize and plan, learning and memory, and motor control.
“Many exhibit increased irritability, jitteriness, impaired cognition with poor executive planning and functioning, difficulties with impulse control,” he says. “School performance can be poor due to these cognitive and learning deficits as well as behavioral issues.” In addition, many people with FASD have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, Dr. Linde says. FASDs can have striking mental health side effects among children who are affected. Let’s take a look at three of the most common mental health side effects. Part of it is a result of not always being supported effectively by the adults in their lives, including caretakers, medical providers, and school communities.
- The U.S. surgeon general also recommends abstaining from alcohol if you’re trying to conceive.
- There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy or when trying to get pregnant.
- Early identification of FASD is critical for the well-being of individuals affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and their families.
- Choosing the right medication, or combination of medications, depends on an individual’s symptoms.
There are no exact statistics of how many people have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). It can sometimes be difficult to diagnose a person with FASD because of the variety of symptoms and spectrum of severity. Also, not all people who drink while pregnant feel comfortable talking to their healthcare provider. This means that some people with mild symptoms of FASD might never be diagnosed.
Characteristics of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
Evidence of CNS involvement can be structural (e.g., small brain size, alterations in specific brain regions) or functional (e.g., cognitive and behavioral deficits, motor and coordination problems). For fetal alcohol syndrome—which is also characterized by growth deficiencies, distinct facial features, and other physical factors in addition to CNS involvement—confirmation of prenatal alcohol exposure is not required. The result of alcohol on a developing fetus can lead to craniofacial differences, growth impairment, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and behavioral issues. Research shows that alcohol exposure at specific times during pregnancy can affect the brain in various ways, resulting in a spectrum of brain disorders. In particular, while PAE results in both DNA hyper- and hypomethylation, hypomethylation more often occurs in the gene body and promoter regions [131], suggesting less silencing of pathways of involved genes. This paradoxical mix of hyper- and hypomethylation is also seen in cancer, whereby chance results in silencing of tumor suppressor genes and upregulation of proliferation genes [132].
One study suggested problems with motor development following exposure to alcohol in breastmilk, but other studies did not show the same results. Since breastfeeding has benefits for the baby, speak with your baby’s pediatrician about how much and how often you drink before avoiding breastfeeding. Consuming more than one drink per day is not recommended how to stop drinking out of boredom while breastfeeding. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about all of your breastfeeding questions. It is recommended not to drink any amount of alcohol at any time in pregnancy. If a person who is pregnant is using alcohol it is recommend they stop as soon as possible, no matter how far along they are in their pregnancy.
The Mental Health Effects of a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
However, some reports found that babies exposed to alcohol through breastmilk may eat less and/or have changes in their sleeping patterns. If you suspect that the baby has any symptoms, contact do not let guilt or shame threaten your recovery the child’s healthcare provider. Drinking alcohol in pregnancy is a leading cause of intellectual disability. Alcohol affects brain development and a baby’s brain develops throughout pregnancy.
Secondary conditions can develop as a result of a person having a FASD. FASD is completely avoidable if you do not drink alcohol while you’re pregnant. For example, they may have difficulties with learning, have challenging behaviours, mental health problems, and find it difficult to get a job and live independently as an adult. First-line treatments for children with ADHD and FAS include methylphenidate- and amphetamine-derived stimulants. One study found life expectancy is significantly reduced compared to people without FAS (most often due to external causes such as suicide, accidents, or overdose of alcohol or drugs).
The symptoms of this condition will be with the person throughout their entire life. Over time, a number of secondary effects can happen in people with FAS, particularly in those who aren’t treated for the condition in childhood. These are called secondary effects because they’re not part of FAS itself. Instead, these secondary effects happen as a result of having FAS.
How is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) diagnosed?
It also discusses other effects of FASD and treatments for the condition. This article examines symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of FAS in adults. This usually involves physical examinations and blood tests to rule out genetic conditions that have similar characteristics to FASD. Speak to a GP or health visitor if you have any concerns about your child’s development or think they could have FASD. FASD can happen when alcohol in the mother’s blood passes to her baby through the placenta.
How can fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) be prevented?
The fetal origins hypothesis, formulated by Dr. David J. Barker, postulated that metabolic and cardiovascular disease in adulthood could be elicited by the negative influences of external factors, such as undernutrition, in utero [116,117]. Barker’s hypothesis was later expanded to encompass studies on the persistent effects of developmental exposures to a variety of environmental agents on health outcomes and other diseases observed in adulthood. This area of research has contributed towards the understanding of how insults in utero, such as prenatal alcohol, may result in toxic and teratogenic consequences that persist into adulthood [119,120,121,122].
The diagnosis of FGR is usually made during the prenatal period through the use of ultrasound. Having a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder can have profound effects on a person’s health, behavior, and overall well-being. Additionally, it can have mental health side effects and often results in psychiatric disorders. Any amount of alcohol during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome. Damage to your developing baby can happen at any point during pregnancy. All alcohol, including beer, wine, ciders and hard liquor can all cause FAS.
This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. Public school systems can also offer support to children with FASDs. State and local social services can help families with special education and social services. Children with FASDs also are helped by being in a loving, nurturing, and stable home.
Sometimes it can be difficult to remember all of the information provided to you during an appointment, especially if you’ve been told that there may be something wrong with your child. Newborns may need special care in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). EVs carry a diverse group of molecules that are determined by the EV pathway and environment of their parent cell [82].
A cross sectional study conducted in northern parts of Ethiopia reported 23.5% prevalence of fetal growth restriction and 19.7% prevalence of SGA [11]. This variations in the occurrence of fetal growth restrictions may depends on the population under study, the geographic location of the study participants, the measurements and the standard growth curves used as a reference to compare treatment plans & goals for substance abuse [12]. To learn more about the symptoms of FASDs, a person can speak with a healthcare professional. They can determine whether an individual’s symptoms meet the criteria for an FASD diagnosis. Individuals with FASDs may experience a wide range of symptoms or secondary conditions. There are a number of medications and other treatments that help manage the effects of FASDs.