Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome( alcohol embriofetopatiya) - a symptom that combines distinct change in the psycho-physical development of the child, the only reason for which is the abuse of alcohol the mother before and during pregnancy.

cause fetal alcohol syndrome( TSA) is the toxic effects of alcohol and its breakdown products on the fruit, which contributes unobstructed patency alcohol through the placenta, the absence of alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver of the fetus / embryo, etc.

Symptoms

The clinical picture of this disease is very diverse, but in mostCases is represented by four groups of basic symptoms: somatic malformations, craniofacial dysmorphia, brain damage and pre / postnatal dystrophy.

Somatic deformities: shortening of the feet, deformity of the chest, hip dysplasia, anus infection, doubling of the vagina, cavernous angiomas, congenital heart defects, etc.

Craniofacial dysmorphia: elongated face, strabismus, blepharophysis, short eye, epicanthus,convex upper lip, low nasal bridge, a flattening of the neck, deep-set ears, ptosis, micrognathia, microcephaly. For these symptoms, there is such a definition as: "the face of a child with an alcoholic syndrome."

nervous system lesions occur almost immediately after birth( hypotonia, spontaneous clinical seizures, tremors, opisthotonos, etc.), And in the more distant of terms appears occlusive hydrocephalus and mental retardation.

Pre / postnatal dystrophy: children are born with insufficient growth and low body weight. After a year of age, these children have a weight gain of 38% and a growth rate of 65% of normal values.

Depending on the clinical manifestations, there are three degrees of severity of TSA: light, medium and heavy.

The diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical manifestations and analysis of the mother( confirmation of chronic alcohol use).Fetal alcohol syndrome should be distinguished from hereditary syndromes and other forms of primordial dwarfism

Treatment

symptomatic treatment aimed at eliminating the main manifestations bearing suffering. Children with TSA need in addition to medical measures, in providing legal and social assistance.

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