Can my child have fetal alcohol syndrome?

Question

Before I knew I was pregnant with my now 2 year old child I drank heavily.I quit as soon as I found out and was very honest with my doctor about my drinking.They told me everything should be fine because I was less then 2 months pregnant when I quit.Now my daughter is still not talking at 2 years old (she says about 5 words) Her pediatrician says shes fine and that some perfectly normal children don't say much at even 2 1/2 years of age.I'm still worried,It may just be my guilt.Does anyone have any advice?

Answer 1

Ive seen toddlers who seem to take forever to talk, walk, ect, your child might just be taking her own sweet time, maybe not. I did look into this a while back and I remember them saying, fas babies have smaller features, smaller eyes, paper thin lips, ect, thats a symptom. But kids do things at their own pace. My oldest was running at 10 months, carried on conversations at 1 1/2 and now, just 5 in pre-k is reading and writing and can say the abc's backwards. My middle child had a slwoer start but is just fine and normal. I bet yours is,too.

Answer 2

my son cameron was a slow talker and walker too and i never have been a big drinker and if your doctor said everything is fine then listen to him.

or you can get a second opinion or try babynet i am not sure where u are so it could be called something else but if you ask your local health department they should know what you are looking for.

cameron is know a normal 4 year old makes me wish for the days when he didn't talk when they start look out they will be in everyhting and you will be exhausted by the end of the day i have 3 boys and i love them but my favorite part of the day is when they are all sleeping and i am the only one awake and it is quiet

Answer 3

ok. i didn't drink at all with my son's pregnancy but he still was late talking. don't be quick to assume that it is FAS or any of the other ones. My son didn't say his first word until he was like 16 months old. He didn't say "mama" until 2. I took him to the ped. and she said he was normal. well, he is. but his speech is not. I took him to ear nose and throat specialist. had him tested for everything else, autusim included and everyone said he was fine. I then signed him up for preschool at 3.5. I was told that yes he did have a problem!!!!!!!!Yeah!! not that he had a problem, but that i wasn't putting him through it all for nothing. and it's a slight thing. he has a forward tounge thrust that makes his speech difficult to understand and made it hard for him to form the right sound so therefore he didn't want to talk. he is now in speech with preschool. you should check to see if you have parents-as-teachers or early childhood education in your area. they come to the house to visit once a month and work on different specific areas. look into it. good luck

Answer 4

Even though not learning very well is a symptom of FAS, its normally accompained with another sympton also. And lots of children are shy at that young of an age and don't want to talk. Here are the other symptoms



low birth weight
small head circumference
failure to thrive
developmental delay
organ dysfunction
facial abnormalities, including smaller eye openings, flattened cheekbones, and indistinct philtrum (an underdeveloped groove between the nose and the upper lip)
epilepsy
poor coordination/fine motor skills
poor socialization skills, such as difficulty building and maintaining friendships and relating to groups
lack of imagination or curiosity
learning difficulties, including poor memory, inability to understand concepts such as time and money, poor language comprehension, poor problem-solving skills
behavioral problems, including hyperactivity, inability to concentrate, social withdrawal, stubbornness, impulsiveness, and anxiety

Answer 5

wow ive been doing pretty good with answers in here, but this one is too tough for this boy, so my answer is, do the footwork and research, this is an ok place to start, iguess if i were u, i would talk to a girlfriend that has a child similar to my childs age, and ask her if u can go with her to the next ped appt, 2 heads are better than 1, and while ur at her peds, ask for pamphlets, reading materials, phone numbers, perhaps even support groups, go to a group and see what others with ur thot process are saying. my prayers are with u both, and leave the booze alone, make the kiddo ur drug of choice 8-)

Answer 6

Read to her. Thats one of the most important things for a parent to do with their child. It'll spark her imagination, and she wont help but to want to talk. I'm glad that you stopped drinking when you found out you were pregnant. I dont think thats what your daughters problem is. Point to pictures in books and you say what it is, then ask for her to say it. Dont worry, she'll catch on.

Answer 7

I would be more worried about Fetal Alcohol Effect.
Ask your doctor if this is something that you need to worry about if your drinking didn't cause FAS.


March of Dimes:
What are fetal alcohol effects (FAE)?
The CDC estimates that about three times the number of babies born with FAS are born with lesser degrees of alcohol-related damage (5). This condition is sometimes referred to as fetal alcohol effects (FAE). These children have some of the physical or mental birth defects associated with FAS. The Institute of Medicine uses more specific diagnostic categories for FAE, referring to the physical birth defects (such as heart defects) as alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD), and to the mental and behavioral abnormalities as alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders (ARND) (6).

In general, alcohol-related birth defects (such as heart and facial defects) are more likely to result from drinking during the first trimester. Drinking at any stage of pregnancy can affect the brain as well as growth (5).

Answer 8

Trust your Dr. Many women drink like that before they know they are pregnant.


What are the symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome?
The following are the most common symptoms of FAS. However, each baby may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

small head, small jaw, and small, flat cheeks
malformed ears
small eyes, poor development of optic nerve, crossed-eyes
upturned nose, low bridge
small upper mouth structure and teeth
caved-in chest wall
umbilical or diaphragmatic hernia
limited movement of fingers and elbows
extra fingers, abnormal palm creases
excessive hair
under-grown nails
incomplete or lack of development of brain structures
heart murmurs, heart defects, abnormalities of large vessels
incomplete development of genitalia
growth, motor, and mental retardation
irritability in infancy and hyperactivity in childhood
poor coordination

Answer 9

I wouldn't automatically hit on FAS. Go to a genetic specialist and rule out certain problems--Autism, Ausbergers, etc. She is behind, but that doesn't mean much more than you need to get a second opinion.

Also, don't blame yourself. You didn't know and then you stopped. You HELPED your daughter by stopping your drinking habits. You should be proud of that.

Answer 10

I would not worry about it.
your already talked to the DR and TRUST them they went to many years of schooling for that.
you shouldn't have to worry about anything if you quit right when you found out, its only if you continued to drink throughout the pregnancy