Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: flying under the radar

Abstract

Alcohol exposure during pregnancy has been shown to result in a spectrum of birth defects known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) that can negatively impact a child's growth, development, cognition, behavior and physical appearance over his or her entire lifespan. FASD is not a diagnostic term, unlike Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), which is the most serious disorder within the spectrum. Despite warnings by the U.S. Surgeon General and others, childbearing age women continue to drink at high levels, even in pregnancy. As there is no cure for an FASD, preventive activities are currently the only successful approach to reduce the risk of an Alcohol-Exposed Pregnancy (AEP) through screening, education, or brief interventions of childbearing age women. The Midwest Region Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Training Center (MRFASTC) has established teams in 8 states in the Midwest, including Arkansas, with the goal of training health care professionals in FASD recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.