For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
FAS is due to alcohol consumption by a pregnant person.
FASD results from prenatal alcohol exposure.
Diego Cerro Jimenez / Getty Images.
Additionally, it can have mental health side effects and often results in psychiatric disorders.
What Are the Four Types of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders?
Fetal alcohol syndrome is one of four disorders that comprise fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
Its estimated that FASD affects about 3%-5% of infants born in the United States.
Unfortunately, she had only stopped drinking after her pregnancy test came back positive.
What Happens to a Child With a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?
FASD can affect children in profound waysphysically, mentally, and emotionally.
Challenges like this emerge for several reasons, she explains.
Childhood is a period of increased need to feel loved and belonging, says Dr. Uban.
How Can Alcohol Consumption Affect Developing Fetuses?
Lets take a look at three of the most common mental health side effects.
School performance can be poor due to these cognitive and learning deficits as well as behavioral issues.
In addition, many people with FASD have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, Dr. Linde says.
There are several pathways for this increased risk for mental health problems with FASD, she explains.
One pathway is the frequent or complex physical health issues that can drive depression and anxiety.
This may include difficulty with memory, paying attention, speech and language deficits, and lower IQ.
In particular, the disorder called neurobehavioral disorder is associated with thinking and memory issues, says Dr.
Ferry, as well as trouble with day-to-day living.
Most of these conditions are psychological in nature and include:
Dr.
There are many resources out there to help you navigate these challenges.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Basics about FASDs.
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.FASDs and Secondary Conditions.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Fetal Alcohol Exposure.
Thanh NX, Jonsson E.Life Expectancy of People with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology.
2016;23(1):e53-e59.
American Academy of Pediatrics.Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Assessment.
