Facts about FASDs
facts
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects can include physical problems and problems with behavior and learning. Often, a person with an FASD has a mix of these problems.
Cause and Prevention
FASDs are caused by a woman drinking alcohol during pregnancy. There is no known amount of alcohol that is safe to drink while pregnant. There is also no safe time to drink during pregnancy and no safe kind of alcohol to drink while pregnant.
FASD Fact Sheet
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Fact Sheet
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To prevent FASDs, a woman should not drink alcohol while she is pregnant, or even when she might get pregnant. This is because a woman could get pregnant and not know for several weeks or more. In the United States, half of pregnancies are unplanned.
Signs and Symptoms
FASDs refer to the whole range of effects that can happen to a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These conditions can affect each person in different ways, and can range from mild to severe.
A person with an FASD might have:
Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip (this ridge is called the philtrum)
Small head size
Shorter-than-average height
Low body weight
Poor coordination
Hyperactive behavior
Difficulty paying attention
Poor memory
Difficulty in school (especially with math)
Learning disabilities
Speech and language delays
Intellectual disability or low IQ
Poor reasoning and judgment skills
Sleep and sucking problems as a baby
Vision or hearing problems
Problems with the heart, kidneys, or bones
mom and daughter huggingTypes of FASDs
Different terms are used to describe FASDs, depending on the type of symptoms.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): FAS represents the severe end of the FASD spectrum. Fetal death is the most extreme outcome from drinking alcohol during pregnancy. People with FAS might have abnormal facial features, growth problems, and central nervous system (CNS) problems. People with FAS can have problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication, vision, or hearing. They might have a mix of these problems. People with FAS often have a hard time in school and trouble getting along with others.
Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND): People with ARND might have intellectual disabilities and problems with behavior and learning. They might do poorly in school and have difficulties with math, memory, attention, judgment, and poor impulse control.
Alcohol-Related Birth Defects (ARBD): People with ARBD might have problems with the heart, kidneys, or bones or with hearing. They might have a mix of these.
The term fetal alcohol effects (FAE) was previously used to describe intellectual disabilities and problems with behavior and learning in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. In 1996, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) replaced FAE with the terms alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD).
Diagnosis
The term FASDs is not meant for use as a clinical diagnosis. CDC worked with a group of experts and organizations to review the research and develop guidelines for diagnosing FAS. The guidelines were developed for FAS only. CDC and its partners are working to put together diagnostic criteria for other FASDs, such as ARND. Clinical and scientific research on these conditions is going on now.
Diagnosing FAS can be hard because there is no medical test, like a blood test, for it. And other disorders, such as ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and Williams syndrome, have some symptoms like FAS.
To diagnose FAS, doctors look for:
Abnormal facial features (e.g., smooth ridge between nose and upper lip)
Lower-than-average height, weight, or both
Central nervous system problems (e.g., small head size, problems with attention and hyperactivity, poor coordination)
Prenatal alcohol exposure; although confirmation is not required to make a diagnosis
Learn more about the criteria for diagnosis »
Treatment
Family and PhysicianFASDs last a lifetime. There is no cure for FASDs, but research shows that early intervention treatment services can improve a child’s development.
There are many types of treatment options, including medication to help with some symptoms, behavior and education therapy, parent training, and other alternative approaches. No one treatment is right for every child. Good treatment plans will include close monitoring, follow-ups, and changes as needed along the way.
Also, “protective factors” can help reduce the effects of FASDs and help people with these conditions reach their full potential.1, 2
Protective factors include:
Diagnosis before 6 years of age
Loving, nurturing, and stable home environment during the school years
Absence of violence
Involvement in special education and social services
Learn more about treatments »
Get Help!
If you think your child might have an FASD, talk to your child’s doctor and share your concerns. Don’t wait!
Sharing Concerns
For tips on sharing concerns about a child's development, click on one of the following:
Parent to PhysicianExternal Web Site Icon
Physician to ParentExternal Web Site Icon
Parent to ParentExternal Web Site Icon
If you or the doctor thinks there could be a problem, ask the doctor for a referral to a specialist (someone who knows about FASDs), such as a developmental pediatrician, child psychologist, or clinical geneticist. In some cities, there are clinics whose staffs have special training in diagnosing and treating children with FASDs. To find doctors and clinics in your area visit the National and State Resource DirectoryExternal Web Site Icon from the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS).
At the same time, call your state’s public early childhood system to ask for a free evaluation to find out if your child qualifies for treatment services. This is sometimes called a Child Find evaluation. You do not need to wait for a doctor’s referral or a medical diagnosis to make this call.
Where to call for a free evaluation from the state depends on your child’s age:
If your child is younger than 3 years old, contact your local early intervention system.
To find the contact for your state, call the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) at 1-800-695-0285. Or visit the NICHCY websiteExternal Web Site Icon ; select your state and look for the heading "Programs for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth through 3."
Learn more about early intervention »External Web Site Icon
If your child is 3 years old or older, contact your local public school system.
Even if your child is not old enough for kindergarten or is not enrolled in a public school, call your local elementary school or board of education and ask to speak with someone who can help you have your child evaluated.
If you’re not sure whom to contact, call the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) at 1-800-695-0285. Or visit the NICHCY websiteExternal Web Site Icon ; select your state and look for the heading "Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages 3 through 5."
Learn more about this process »External Web Site Icon
Related Pages
Diagnosis
Treatments
Developmental Disabilities
Birth Defects
Alcohol and Public Health
CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
References
Streissguth, A.P., Bookstein, F.L., Barr, H.M., Sampson, P.D., O’Malley, K., & Young, J.K. (2004). Risk factors for adverse life outcomes in fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 5(4), 228-238.
Streissguth, A.P., Barr, H.M., Kogan, J. & Bookstein, F. L., Understanding the occurrence of secondary disabilities in clients with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and fetal alcohol effects (FAE). Final report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Seattle: University of Washington, Fetal Alcohol & Drug Unit; August 1996. Tech. Rep. No. 96-06.
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