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Characteristics of children whose siblings have fetal alcohol syndrome or incomplete fetal alcohol syndrome

Valborg L Kvigne1, Gary R Leonardson, Joseph Borzelleca

  • 1Aberdeen Area Indian Health Service, Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA. kvig6@aol.com

Pediatrics
|March 4, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Siblings born before children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) showed early signs of FAS. Siblings born after FAS-affected children had better outcomes, potentially due to reduced maternal alcohol use.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Genetics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a spectrum of developmental disorders caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.
  • Identifying risk factors and protective factors for FAS is crucial for early intervention and prevention.
  • American Indian communities have historically faced higher rates of FAS.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the clinical manifestations in siblings of children diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) or Incomplete Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (IFAS).
  • To examine the characteristics of siblings born immediately preceding and succeeding a child with FAS/IFAS.
  • To explore potential predictors and outcomes associated with prenatal alcohol exposure within families.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective case-control studies were conducted involving Northern Plains American Indian children diagnosed with FAS or IFAS between 1981 and 1993.
  • International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 760.71 was used for case identification.
  • Siblings born before and after affected children were compared to control siblings.

Main Results:

  • Siblings born before children with FAS/IFAS exhibited higher rates of facial dysmorphology, growth delays, and central nervous system impairment compared to controls.
  • Siblings born after children with FAS/IFAS also showed increased prevalence of these characteristics, though outcomes appeared better than their affected siblings.
  • Specific percentages for facial dysmorphology, growth delay, and CNS impairment were noted for both 'before' and 'after' sibling groups.

Conclusions:

  • The presence of FAS characteristics in "before" siblings may serve as a warning sign for subsequent pregnancies.
  • Siblings born after an affected child demonstrated improved outcomes, suggesting a potential decrease in maternal alcohol consumption during that pregnancy.
  • These findings highlight the importance of monitoring siblings and understanding the impact of maternal alcohol use patterns on FAS development.
Abstract

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