This document discusses fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). It defines FAS as a congenital condition caused by a mother's alcohol consumption during pregnancy, characterized by stunted growth and facial abnormalities. Key points include: - FAS affects 1-2 per 1,000 live births in the US. Alcohol crosses the placenta and impacts fetal development by disrupting cell growth and nutrient transport. - Symptoms include growth retardation, distinctive facial features like smooth philtrum and small eyes, and central nervous system issues like microcephaly and developmental delays. - Diagnosis requires growth problems, facial features, central nervous system abnormalities, and confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure. Treatment involves medical and behavioral interventions, while

1. David Yabrifa

2. INTRODUCTION
 FAS can be defined as congenital disease, abnormality
or condition caused by consumption of alcohol by
mother during pregnancy, characterised by retardation
of mental development and of physical growth
particularly of skull and face of the infant.
 Like any syndrome FAS is a group of signs and
symptoms that appear together to indicate the
condition.
 No amount of alcohol consumption is safe during
pregnancy.

3. EPIDEMIOLOGY
 Estimated 1-2 cases per 1000 live births in the United
States.
 Ranges from 1 in 1000 to less than 1 in 10,000 live births
internationally.
 Occurs in all race and ethnicity
 4-5% of all children in the normal first grade in school

4. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
 Alcohol crosses the placenta and rapidly reaches the fetus
 Fetus liver does not have significant alcoholdehydrogenase(ADH),
ALDH and other antioxidants like glutathion
 Also amniotic acts as reservoir for alcohol, prolonging fetal
exposure
 Acetaldehyde( metabolite of ethanol) disrupt cellular
differentiation and growth, disrupting DNA and protein synthesis
and inhibits cell migration
 Acetaldehyde and ethanol modify metabolism of carbohydrate,
protein and fats
 They both also decrease the transfer of amino acids, glucose, folic
acid, zinc and other nutrients across the placenta barrier which
affects fetal growth.

5. SYMPTOMS
 Growth Retardation
 Facial Features
 Smooth philtrum
 Thin upper lip (thin vermilion)
 Small eyes
 Short upturned nose
 Flattened cheeks
 Small jaw ( maxillae or mandible)

6. Facial Features
NORMAL FEATURES ABNORM FEATURES

7. Facial Features
NORMAL FEATURES ABNORMAL FEATURES

8. SYMPTOMS
 Central nervous system features
 Microcephaly
 Mental retardation
 Hyperactivity
 Delayed development of gross motor skills like rolling
over, sitting up, crawling and walking
 Impaired language development
 Delayed in development of fine motor skills such as
grasping objects with the thumb and index fingers and
transfer objects from one hand to the other.
 Seizures

9. OTHER SIGNS
 Cardiac
• Heart murmur; usually disappears by one year of age
• VSD
• ASD
 Skeletal: Joint abnormalities, altered palmer crease
pattern, small distal phalanges and small fifth
fingernail.
Renal: Horseshoe, aplastic, dysplastic or hypoplastic
kidney.
 Ocular: Strabismus, optic nerve hypoplasia

10. DIAGNOSIS
The diagnostic criteria includes;
 Growth deficiency
 FAS facial features
 Central nervous system damage
 Prenatal alcohol exposure

11. TREATMENT
Medical intervention
This involves use of psychoactive drugs
 Behavioral intervention

12. PREVENTION
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