Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alcoholic fetal syndrome (alcoholic embryo-fetopathy, fetal alcoholism) combines various combinations and severity of the deviations in the psychophysical development of the child, the cause of which is the abuse of a woman by alcohol before and during pregnancy.

The basis of etiology and pathogenesis is the toxic effect of alcohol and its decay products (acetaldehyde, etc.) on the child's body. This is facilitated by the easy patency of alcohol through the placenta, the lack of alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver of the fetus and fetus, the suppression of the synthesis of cell and cell-free RNA, the development of alcohol hypoglycemia, the violation of transplacental transport of essential amino acids, zinc,

The clinical picture is diverse and in most cases is represented by four groups of symptoms: pre- and postnatal dystrophy; Craniofacial dysmorphia; Somatic malformations; Brain damage.

Pre- and postnatal dystrophy is the main clinical manifestation of alcohol syndrome, which correlates with the amount of alcohol consumed by the mother during pregnancy. Children are born with low body weight and insufficient body length. After a year, these children have a growth rate of 65%, and the rate of addition in the mass is 38% of normal numbers. Craniofacial dysmorphia is so typical that it gave rise to the definition of "the face of a child with an alcoholic syndrome." Characterized by a short eye gap, blepharophilia, epicanthus, ptosis, strabismus, elongated face, micrognathia, low bridge of nose, convex upper lip, deep ears, microcephaly, flattening of the occiput.

Somatic deformities: abnormal finger arrangement, hip dysplasia, chest deformity, shortening of feet, hypospadias, vaginal doubling, anus infection, congenital heart defects, cavernous angiomas, liver fibrosis, etc.

The defeat of the nervous system can manifest immediately after birth (tremor, spontaneous clonic convulsions, opisthotonus, muscle hypotension, etc.) and in the late periods of postnatal development (mental retardation, occlusive hydrocephalus, etc.).

According to the severity of clinical manifestations, there are 3 degrees of severity of the alcoholic fetal syndrome: mild, moderate and severe.

The diagnosis is based on the analysis of the mother (chronic alcohol use) and clinical manifestations.

Differential diagnosis must be carried out with other forms of primordial nannism, hereditary syndromes.

Treatment is symptomatic and is aimed at eliminating the main manifestations of suffering.

The prognosis is serious. Children with alcohol syndrome, in addition to medical measures, need enhanced social legal assistance.