When thinking about the symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome in babies you should know that it is in fact a group of abnormalities that appears in case of babies born to mothers who consumed alcohol during their pregnancy.
It is one of the most common causes of mental retardation in case of babies.
The fetal alcohol syndrome symptoms in babies
Although there are some common symptoms, you should know that it is possible for the babies to present other symptoms as well. The most common ones include having a small jaw, head and flat cheeks, ears with malformations, small eyes and problems with eyesight because of the optic nerve abnormalities or crossed eyes.
The signs of fetal alcohol syndrome in babies also include having a low bridge or an upturned nose, small upper mouth and teeth, having a chest wall with malformations, diaphragmatic or umbilical hernia, and problems with moving the elbows or the fingers.
When considering the symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome in babies, it is possible to notice abnormal palm creases, more than 5 fingers on one hand, undergrown nails, excessive hair growth, heart defects, heart murmurs or abnormalities of the large vessels.
In case of the fetal alcohol syndrome signs in babies it is common for the genitalia of the babies not to be completely developed, to have motor, growth or mental retardation, and to notice hyperactivity during childhood and irritability during infancy. Usually the affected babies have poor coordination.
Treatment
At this moment there is medication approved by the FDA to treat the symptoms and the signs of alcohol withdrawal in case of the babies. Nonetheless the bad news is that there is no cure or treatment that could make the long term effects better. Usually the babies with this problem require long term care.
Prevention
It is important to remember regarding the FAS symptoms in babies that this is one of the few problems that can be prevented 100%. All the mother has to do is to stop drinking alcohol when she finds out that she is pregnant. There is no amount of alcohol that would be considered safe for the baby.
All women should have in mind the symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome in babies and do everything in their power to make sure that they and their babies won’t be faced with problems of this kind.
