How does fetal alcohol syndrome work

A A A Text Size. Print This Page. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome home disabilities. Accommodation and Compliance: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. On This Page. About Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal alcohol syndrome FAS is a common, yet preventable condition that results from prenatal alcohol exposure. Accommodating Employees with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome People with FAS may develop some of the limitations discussed below, but seldom develop all of them.

Questions to Consider: What limitations is the employee experiencing? What specific job tasks are problematic as a result of these limitations? What accommodations are available to reduce or eliminate these problems?

Are all possible resources being used to determine possible accommodations? Has the employee been consulted regarding possible accommodations?

Once accommodations are in place, would it be useful to meet with the employee to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodations and to determine whether additional accommodations are needed?

Do supervisory personnel and employees need training? Situations and Solutions: A grocery store bagger named Wanda had fetal alcohol syndrome. View All Publications. Related Disabilities. View All Disabilities. View All Articles. View All Blog Posts. View All Upcoming Events. Newborns may have low birth weights and small heads.

They may not grow or gain weight as well as other children. Birth defects. FAS can cause heart, bone, and kidney problems. Vision problems and hearing loss are common. Seizures and other neurologic problems , such as learning disabilities, and poor balance and coordination. Delayed development. Kids may not reach milestones at the expected time.

Behavioral problems. Babies may be fussy or jittery, and have trouble sleeping. Older children and teens may have: a lack of coordination and poor fine-motor skills trouble getting along with friends and relating to others learning problems especially in math , poor memory, and poor problem-solving skills behavior problems such as hyperactivity, poor attention and concentration, and impulsiveness Children with other FASDs have many of the same problems, but usually to a lesser degree.

However, if your child has problems with learning and behavior, talk with his or her doctor so that the underlying cause might be identified. The more you drink while pregnant, the greater the risk to your unborn baby. However, any amount of alcohol puts your baby at risk. Your baby's brain, heart and blood vessels begin to develop in the early weeks of pregnancy, before you may know you're pregnant.

Impairment of facial features, the heart and other organs, including the bones, and the central nervous system may occur as a result of drinking alcohol during the first trimester. That's when these parts of the fetus are in key stages of development.

However, the risk is present at any time during pregnancy. The more alcohol you drink during pregnancy, the greater the chance of problems in your baby. There's no known safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Problem behaviors not present at birth that can result from having fetal alcohol syndrome secondary disabilities may include:.

Experts know that fetal alcohol syndrome is completely preventable if women don't drink alcohol at all during pregnancy. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. These problems are permanent, though early treatment and support can help limit their impact on an affected child's life.

Speak to a GP or health visitor if you have any concerns about your child's development or think they could have foetal alcohol syndrome. If the condition is not diagnosed early on and a child does not receive appropriate support, they're more likely to experience challenges associated with the condition.

For example, they may have difficulties with learning, misuse drugs or alcohol , develop mental health problems, and find it difficult to get a job and live independently as an adult. A doctor or health visitor will need to know if your child was exposed to alcohol during pregnancy to make a diagnosis of foetal alcohol syndrome. Your child may be referred to a specialist team for an assessment if there's a possibility they have the condition.

This usually involves a physical examination and blood tests to rule out genetic conditions that have similar symptoms to foetal alcohol syndrome. There is no particular treatment for foetal alcohol syndrome, and the damage to the child's brain and organs cannot be reversed.