Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) (cont.)
What are symptoms and signs of fetal alcohol syndrome?
Infants with the diagnostic criteria to establish fetal alcohol syndrome exhibit the following characteristic findings:
- Unique facial characteristics: a thin upper lip; a uniquely smooth ridge between the upper lip and nose (the "philtrum"); and a smaller than normal space between the upper and lower eyelids ("palpebral fissure")
- Growth delay: smaller than expected length, weight, and head circumference measurements during both intrauterine and post-birth growth
- Central nervous system abnormalities: (a) structural (small brain size and slower than expected growth); (b) functional (global developmental delay in motor skills, language acquisition and utilization, problems with attention/hyperactivity, social skill deficiencies, etc.)