4 Ways to Identify Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

1. Note Growth Deficiency

Babies with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) have a marked growth deficiency. If the height and/or weight of a newborn is at or below the tenth percentile, that could be an indicator of fetal alcohol syndrome. These measurements can also be evaluated in utero or later in life. Evaluation must, however, also take into consideration the height of the parents, the length of gestation and other conditions that could contribute to growth deficiencies like malnutrition. If your baby is undersized when born and you know that you have ingested alcohol during the pregnancy, fetal alcohol syndrome could be possible diagnosis.

2. Identify Characteristic Facial Features

Fetal alcohol syndrome produces several distinctive facial features in babies. FAS babies typically have small eye width, an abnormally thin upper lip and smooth philtrum (the vertical indentation between the nose and the lip). These facial features are usually indicative of some sort of brain damage in FAS babies. Because these features are also common in people without FAS, you need to have a trained medical specialist examine your child and rank the severity of these abnormalities. Facial features are only one part of the diagnostic criteria for FAS. They are mainly used to differentiate between FAS and other disorders with overlapping symptoms.

3. Evaluate Damage to the Central Nervous System

There are three types of central nervous system (CNS) impairments that can be used to identify fetal alcohol syndrome--structural, neurological and functional. Abnormalities in the brain structure, including a small brain (microcephaly), are indicators of FAS. Neurological signs are looked for if structural abnormalities are missing. These signs include seizures, fine motor skills impairment, vision and hearing difficulties, poor hand-eye coordination and several others. When neither structural nor neurological symptoms are observed, CNS damage can be evaluated using functional cues. Functional impairments are akin to developmental disabilities. These include cognitive deficits, behavioral problems, social skill deficiencies, attention deficits and other indicators. There is established diagnostic criteria used to evaluate CNS damage. If you suspect your child has some form of CNS damage, get a proper medical examination.

4. Determine Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

All of the other diagnostic criteria for FAS are viewed in context of whether the child was exposed to alcohol in utero and how much. Doctors will interview the mother and other family members to determine the level of alcohol exposure. If no exposure to alcohol is present, FAS can be ruled out. If, as in the case with certain adoptions, no one is available to be interviewed about prenatal alcohol exposure, a diagnosis of FAS can still be made using only the other criteria as evidence.