Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - what is FAS syndrome?

Update: 02/08/2026 There is no certainty about what amount of alcohol can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, so any exposure carries risk. Despite this, the topic is still often trivialized, and FAS disease and its consequences remain insufficiently recognized in society. How to recognize FAS syndrome, what symptoms to pay attention to, and what difficulties in development and functioning may look like? Learn why alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome – what is it and when should you be concerned?

The harmful effects of alcohol on the adult body are well documented today – from impacts on the liver, heart, and nervous system to the risk of addiction. Even people who drink habitually are usually aware that alcohol abuse carries real health consequences. At the same time, most of us would agree that for health reasons, children and adolescents should not consume alcohol. The paradox is that this caution does not always extend to pregnancy. There are still situations where an expectant mother drinks alcohol – sometimes occasionally, sometimes in larger amounts, without directly connecting this with the risk to the developing fetus. This is when disorders from the FASD spectrum can develop, the most severe form of which is fetal alcohol syndrome, or FAS syndrome. These are permanent consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure affecting brain development, growth, behavior, and the child's functioning. There is no established safe dose of alcohol during pregnancy, so concerns should arise whenever any amount, even small doses, was consumed during pregnancy.

Symptoms and Causes of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal alcohol syndrome develops as a result of alcohol exposure during pregnancy. Most often this is associated with regular or excessive drinking, however, in clinical practice there are also situations where a FAS diagnosis in a child surprises the mother. Some women state that they did not drink alcohol during pregnancy or did so only sporadically, not connecting this with later health consequences. The problem is that alcohol acts harmfully on the developing fetal organism regardless of the form. This can be both an alcoholic beverage and alcohol used as an additive to dishes or as a component of homemade tinctures for immunity or colds. Even small doses can affect the child's nervous system development, as there is no safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy.

Symptoms of FAS Syndrome and FAS Disease in Children

FAS symptoms can include both physical features and difficulties in cognitive and emotional functioning. It's important to remember that FAS syndrome is part of a spectrum, so in some children somatic changes dominate, while in others symptoms primarily concern brain development and behavior. Most commonly described FAS symptoms in children:

• short stature and microcephaly,

• musculoskeletal system defects,

• deep sensory disorders and coordination problems,

• hearing problems,

• delayed speech development,

• reduced visual field and weaker visual memory,

• anomalies in the structure of the liver, heart, kidneys, and reproductive organs,

• elevated pain threshold or hypersensitivity to pain,

• hyperactivity (often in an ADHD-like presentation),

• memory problems and learning difficulties,

• behavioral disorders and difficulties in social functioning,

• uncontrolled anger outbursts, impulsivity, aggressive behavior,

• greater susceptibility to addictions later in life,

• depressive tendencies, anxiety, difficulties in emotional regulation.

If some of these symptoms persist over time, diagnostic evaluation should be considered, especially when there was a risk of alcohol exposure during pregnancy in the medical history.

Alcoholic's Child Face – Characteristic FAS Features

One of the most recognizable signals that may indicate fetal alcohol syndrome are specific changes in facial appearance. Facial symptoms do not occur in every child with disorders from the FASD spectrum, but if present, they constitute an important diagnostic clue. The face of a child with FAS is sometimes described as asymmetrical, relatively flat, and wide. Typical facial features of an alcoholic (in the context of prenatal alcohol exposure) include:

• widely spaced eyes, making the bridge of the nose appear very wide,

• short, often upturned nose,

• very thin upper lip,

• elongated distance between nostrils and upper lip (smoothed philtrum),

• low-set ears, sometimes with deformed auricles,

• more abundant hair on the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes.

However, it's worth emphasizing that the absence of characteristic appearance changes does not rule out the disease. FAS syndrome symptoms very often primarily concern brain function, emotions, and behavior. See also: How to recognize an alcoholic by their face

Children with FAS – Not Just an Educational Problem

Children with fetal alcohol syndrome often face misunderstanding. Their difficult behaviors are sometimes explained by "poor upbringing," pathological patterns in the family, or the fact that they're growing up in a home with an alcohol problem. Meanwhile, the underlying issue is very often FAS disease – permanent damage that occurred while still in fetal life. Understanding that fetal alcohol syndrome is a health disorder, not the result of lack of educational effort, is very important for the child's continued support.

Adults with FAS – Face

The impact of fetal alcohol syndrome is not limited to childhood and does not disappear with maturation. FAS disease is permanent because it affects the development of the brain and other organs during the fetal period. Therefore, in some people symptoms are visible even in adulthood – both in terms of functioning and (sometimes) appearance. In some people, characteristic facial features can still be noticed. However, it must be emphasized that in many people facial dysmorphia becomes less pronounced with age or does not occur at all, and problems in daily life result primarily from neurodevelopmental disorders. In practice, it is symptoms (e.g., difficulties in planning, consequence assessment, emotion regulation, or maintaining attention) that may most strongly affect relationships, work, and independence.

Adults with FAS – What Life with FAS Looks Like in Adulthood

Adults with FAS more often have difficulties in social functioning and may be more susceptible to addictions and co-occurring mental health problems. In some people, depressive symptoms, heightened anxiety (including social anxiety), obsessive features, or other emotional difficulties appear. It's worth speaking cautiously about this: not everyone will experience the same difficulties, but the risk is higher, especially if the person did not receive appropriate support and diagnosis in childhood. Diagnosis of FAS syndrome in adults can be difficult. If the syndrome was not recognized in childhood, later diagnosis can take years, as the symptom picture can be ambiguous and some physical features change with age. Therefore, in case of suspicion, evaluation should be sought at a specialized center or from specialists with experience in FASD diagnosis.

How is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Treated?

Fetal alcohol syndrome cannot be completely cured. Changes caused by ethanol's effects on the developing fetus are permanent, so FAS disease accompanies the patient throughout life. Treatment of the syndrome therefore has a symptomatic character and focuses on alleviating ailments and improving the quality of daily functioning, both in the case of children and adults. Therapeutic management in fetal alcohol syndrome consists primarily of minimizing the effects of neurological, emotional, and somatic disorders. It includes individually tailored support forms aimed at reducing the severity of FAS symptoms, limiting complications, and preventing so-called secondary disease effects that can hinder functioning in adult life.

Therapy and Support in FAS Syndrome

A key role in FAS treatment in children is played by psychotherapy and psychoeducational interventions, often based on behavioral therapy principles. In practice, work with the family is also a very important element. In the case of a child with FAS, caregiver training may be necessary so they can support the child's development in home conditions and adequately respond to difficult behaviors resulting from the disease. Factors that significantly reduce the negative impact of fetal alcohol syndrome primarily include:

• recognition of FAS disease before age 6,

• implementation of special education or adapted teaching forms,

• ensuring a stable, safe, and violence-free home environment.

Thanks to sufficiently early diagnosis and consistent therapeutic work, it is possible to limit many secondary consequences of fetal alcohol syndrome, such as heightened emotional problems, social difficulties, or secondary mental disorders in adulthood.

Prevention – The Key to Preventing FAS

Although fetal alcohol syndrome is not a curable disease, it can be prevented. The foundation of prevention is complete avoidance of alcohol during pregnancy – including in the form of food additives or preparations containing ethanol. There is no safe dose of alcohol for the developing fetus. If a woman during pregnancy cannot independently stop drinking alcohol, professional support is necessary. In such situations, specialist help allows not only to care for the health of the future child but also to safely address the drinking problem. At Nasz Gabinet, the patient can obtain consultation and reliable situation assessment, as well as guidance on further support steps with respect for safety and individual needs.

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