health

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a disorder that affects a child’s ability to learn,
to pay attention, and to control his or her behavior as well as to grow
normally. It is the leading known cause of mental retardation in North
America. Children with FAS are undersize and underweight for their age,
and they have smaller than average heads as well as certain facial features
associated with the disorder. The physical features of FAS are usually evident
at birth, but problems with learning and other abnormalities in
brain development may not be detected until the child starts school. The
child’s learning and behavioral problems persist over his or her lifetime,
while the child’s facial features usually become less noticeable as he or she
grows into adolescence and adulthood.