Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in individuals whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy, including physical, mental, behavioral, and learning disabilities. FASD is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation and birth defects in the United States, affecting an estimated 1 in 100 live births annually. The document outlines the various effects of prenatal alcohol exposure such as growth deficiency, facial features, neurological damage, structural abnormalities, motor skills delays, cognitive deficits, and attention problems. It emphasizes that FASD is completely preventable by avoiding alcohol during pregnancy.

1. Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder
Prepared by: Shaina Horton
ICC Student
Prepared For: Duke Walker
ICC Professor

2. What is Fetal Alcohol Spectral
Disorder or FASD?
s Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
(FASD) is an umbrella term (not a
diagnosis) describing the range of
effects that can occur in an
individual whose mother drank
alcohol during pregnancy. These
effects may include physical,
mental, behavioral, and/or learning
disabilities with possible lifelong
implications.
– Pennsylvania Department of Mental Health
s FASD is the leading known
preventable cause of mental
retardation and birth defects and it is
estimated that in the United States,
1 in 100 live births have a fetal
alcohol spectrum disorder each
year.
– Pennsylvania Department of Mental Health

3. What Causes FASD?
s FASD is caused when women drink during
pregnancy.
s According to the Surgeon General, there is no
safe amount of alcohol at any time during
pregnancy.
s Unfortunately, with 50 % of pregnancies in the
U.S. being unplanned, many women consume
alcohol early on before they even realize they are
pregnant.
s FASD is completely preventable all one has to do
is not consume alcohol during pregnancy.

4. How Does FASD Occur?

5. Growth Deficiency
s Growth deficiency is ranked as
follows by the "4-Digit
Diagnostic Code:"[1]
s * Severe - Height and weight
at or below the 3rd percentile.
s * Moderate - Either height or
weight at or below the 3rd
percentile, but not both.
s * Mild - Either height or
weight or both between the 3rd
and 10th percentiles.
s * None - Height and weight
both above the 10th percentile.

6. Facial Characteristics

7. Facial Characteristics
(continued)

8. Neurological Damage
s Documented evidence exists of
CNS neurologic damage.
s Neurologic problems can
include seizures
s As with head circumference,
abnormal neurologic findings
among younger children can be
most predictive of underlying
CNS abnormality resulting from
prenatal alcohol exposure rather
than later environmental factors.
– CDC

9. Structural/Skelatal Damage
s Documented evidence exists of small or
diminished overall head circumference
adjusted for age and sex (including head
circumference at birth. For children who
have overall growth deficiency (i.e.,
height and weight <10th percentile) to
meet this criteria for CNS abnormality,
the child's head circumference should be
disproportionately small to the child's
overall size
– CDC
s Clinically significant brain
abnormalities are observable through
imaging techniques (e.g. reduction in
size or change in shape of the corpus
callosum, cerebellum, or basal ganglia),
as assessed by an appropriately trained
professional (1,3--10). A child could have
a structural abnormality that would be
consistent with a diagnosis of fetal
alcohol syndrome (FAS) but not
demonstrate detectable functional
deficits.
– CDC

10. ADHD and FASD
s Attention and hyperactivity problems.
Attention problems are often noted for
children with FAS, with children
frequently receiving a diagnosis of
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD).
s Although such a diagnosis can be
applied, attention problems for children
with FAS do not appear to be consistent
with the classic pattern of ADHD.
Persons with FAS tend to have difficulty
with the encoding of information and
flexibility (shifting) aspects of attention,
whereas children with ADHD typically
display problems with focus and
sustaining attention.
s Persons with FAS also can appear to
display hyperactivity because their
impulsivity might lead to increased
activity levels.

11. FASD Effects on Motor Skills
s Motor functioning delays or deficits.
Both gross and fine motor skills can
be impaired for persons with FAS.
s Visual-motor/visual-spatial
coordination is a particularly
vulnerable area of functioning.
s Behaviors that can be observed or
reported in the clinical setting that
indicate motor problems that should
be assessed by standardized testing
include but are not limited to
delayed motor milestones, difficulty
with writing or drawing, clumsiness,
balance problems, tremors, and
poor dexterity. For infants, a poor
suck is often observed

12. Significant Developmental Discrepancies
s Global deficits or delays can leave the
child scoring in the normal range of
development but below what would be
expected for the child's environment and
background
s In addition to formal testing (either
through records or current testing),
behaviors that might be observed or
reported in the clinical setting that
suggest cognitive deficits or
developmental delays that should be
assessed by standardized testing.
s These include but are not limited to
specific learning disabilities (especially
mathematic or visual-spatial deficits),
uneven profile of cognitive skills, low
academic achievement, discrepancy
between verbal and nonverbal skills, and
slowed movements or reaction to
persons and stimuli (e.g., difficulty in
processing information)

13. The Brain and FASD.

14. Growing Up With FASD

15. The Bottom Line is Do Not Drink
While you Pregnant. Your child’s
life is way too important to throw
away on something as meaningless
as getting buzzed. Show your baby
some love, take care of yourself
and that precious thing inside you!

16. References
s Center for Disease Control
s Pennsylvania Department of Mental
Health
s Surgeon General