Guideline for the diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome

New guideline on the diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome presented

11/12/2012

The Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the most common congenital disability in Germany, with between 2,000 and 4,000 affected newborns annually, according to the Federal Government Drug Commissioner. A new guideline should now make it easier to diagnose alcohol damage in children.

The Drug Commissioner of the Federal Government, Mechthild Dyckmans (FDP), said during presentation of the new guideline for the diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome in Berlin that this „a significant step“ be, „to give alcohol-damaged children the necessary help to master their lives.“ The FAS guideline creates the conditions for an early diagnosis, which the affected families, who are often foster and adoptive families, enable from the beginning their daily lives to adjust to the peculiarities of the child and to organize appropriate assistance, the Federal Drug Commissioner on. Pediatricians, psychologists and therapists could accordingly adjust their support measures to minimize the negative consequences of the FAS.

Fetal alcohol syndrome most common congenital disability
The Fetal Alcohol Syndrome „is not curable, but the consequences can be significantly alleviated by early treatment“, explains the Federal Drug Commissioner the benefits of earliest possible diagnosis. FAS is the result of mother's alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The affected children suffer brain damage that is „typically through decreased growth, as well as changes in the face and central nervous system“ expresses, so the Federal Drug Commissioner. Accompanying this are often further developmental disorders, cognitive deficits and behavioral problems. The psychologist Miriam Landgraf from the Munich University Clinic, co-author of the FAS guideline, added that the affected babies often are too small and too light to them more often, the groove between the nose and upper lip missing and her upper lip often appears particularly narrow. More serious than these externally recognizable features, however, are the disorders of the central nervous system in children with FAS. For example, they lead to reduced intelligence, problems with speech or learning and memory, the expert reports.

Abandonment of alcohol during pregnancy is urgently required
In addition to the aforementioned shortcomings of the FAS alcohol consumption can be a variety of other disorders in children, which again have a significant impact on the later development of those affected during pregnancy, explained Prof. Florian Heinen from the Munich University Clinic, co-author of Leitlinie.Dir group the affected person is ten to twenty times higher than the number of FAS patients. Like FAS, these disorders are completely preventable by abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy. Since it was unclear from which amount alcohol is dangerous for unborn children, Prof. Heinen advises a complete abandonment during pregnancy and emphasized in relation to the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, this is „really the one disability that we can prevent 100 percent.“

Milestone in the diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome
Although the new guideline does not contribute to the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, it does provide important guidance to affected families and physicians in diagnosing the FAS. So far, the impairments of the children have often not been recognized for a long time and those affected are labeled as lazy or unwilling to learn, so we can hope for significant improvements here in the future. The new guidelines also make it easier for the responsible youth welfare and welfare offices to determine the developmental performance needs of children, said the Federal Drug Commissioner. In addition, day-care centers and schools are better able to adapt to the children when diagnosed. Overall, the introduction of the new guideline was rated extremely positive from all sides, the patient representative FASD Germany even spoke of one „milestone“ on the way to FAS diagnostics. (Fp)

Also read:
Alcohol damages 10,000 children every year
Pregnancy: Alcohol causes nerve damage

Image: Sonja Graves