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Neurological findings in the fetal alcohol syndrome
1Department of Neurology, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203.
Insights
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in children can cause abnormal neurological findings, primarily affecting the cerebellum. These neurological issues, including attention deficits and developmental delays, are explained by the condition's known neuropathology.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Teratology
Background:
- Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a spectrum of developmental disorders caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.
- Neurological abnormalities are a common but variable feature of FAS.
Observation:
- Five children diagnosed with FAS, aged 2.25 to 10 years, presented with neurological deficits.
- Key neurological findings included cerebellar abnormalities, attention deficit disorder, mental retardation, and epilepsy.
Findings:
- The observed clinical neurological findings in children with FAS are consistent with known neuropathological changes associated with prenatal alcohol exposure.
- Cerebellar dysfunction was the predominant neurological sign.
Implications:
- The neuropathology of FAS adequately explains the observed clinical neurological manifestations.
- Further invasive investigations for neurological signs in children with confirmed FAS or history of in utero alcohol exposure are generally not indicated.
Abstract:
Five children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), ranging in age from 2 1/4 to 10 years, were noted to have abnormal neurological findings. These were mainly cerebellar. Others were attention deficit disorder in three, mental retardation in two, and epilepsy in one. The neuropathology seen in FAS provides a more than adequate basis for the clinical findings. Children with FAS, or a history of in utero alcohol exposure, and abnormal neurological signs, do not need investigation.