Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

When I help parents interpret photo listings one of the first things I do is look at the child’s photo. In addition to the child’s eyes I look at other physical characteristics.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) shows very clearly on a child’s face. There are several distinct characteristics that you can look for. They do not appear unusual to the average person, but if you know what you’re looking for, they become glaringly obvious.

• An “indistinct philturm” which means that indentation above your upper lip. We should all have an indentation there.

• A thin upper lip

• Ears set lower than the tops of the eyes

• An upturned nose

• Small eyelid openings

• A “sunken” nasal bridge, which means that the bridge of the nose is flatter and wider than normal

• If you’re able to get birth records, another thing to look for is a small head circumference. Sometimes this can be seen as the child gets older, but not always.

I could go into some very scientific terms about what role FAS plays in a child’s life, or even explore the differences between FAS, Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE), Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (ARND) and Alcohol-Related Developmental Disabilities (ARDD), but my guess is that you really want to know how it affects the child.

Part of that depends on the amount of alcohol consumed and during what trimester it was consumed. Sammy and all his brothers have FAS. When I look at pictures of them, it becomes very apparent that his birth mother drank more with each child. The physical characteristics become more noticeable with each child.

Some ways that FAS (or other variations of the term) may show up are:

• Hyperactivity

• Learning disorders or mental retardation

• Poor reasoning or judgment

• Lack of cause and effect thinking

• Poor motor skills

Just because a child has FAS, does not mean that they’re going to be “stupid”. They can be highly intelligent. The FAS may show up in other learning disorders like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

FAS effects 1 in every 100 children. Now think of all those photo listings that you’ve been pouring through looking for just the right child. Have you looked at more than 100?

One of the difficulties with FAS is that symptoms mirror many other disorders such as Attachment Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Bi-Polar Disorder. There is no cure or treatment for FAS. It is something you and your child have to learn live with and cope with.

Two organizations that have great information on their website are the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Children’s Research Triangle. I have heard Ira Chasnoff with Children’s Research Triangle speak, and he is great. He gets the adoption and attachment disorder side of our kids, and has a section devoted strictly to adoption on his website.

Be sure to check out these sites for more information.

More blogs on FAS/FAE

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