Glossary for Fetal alcohol syndrome

• ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a mental and behavioral disorder characterized by behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, inattention, concentration difficulty, and other mental symptoms. The related description Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be a more modern description of the disease.

  Misdiagnosis of ADD is a well-known controversy in the sense that cases of hyperactivity in children may be over-diagnosed. There is a tendency for parents to seek and doctors to prescribe the drug Ritalin even in cases where the diagnosis of ADD or ADHD may be incorrect. Alternative diagnoses include normal child behavior (i.e. just an active child), food intolerances, or other behavioral disorders (see misdiagnosis of ADD).

  On the other hand, ADD is under-diagnosed in adults, with a large number of adults having ADD without knowing it; see misdiagnosis of Adult ADD.

• ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a mental and behavioral disorder characterized by behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, inattention, concentration difficulty, and other mental symptoms. Typically, ADHD and associated hyperactivity is known as a childhood disorder, although ADD/ADHD in adults is known to be under-diagnosed. It is distinguished from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) which has a reduced focus on hyperactivity type symptoms.
• Alcohol - Teratogenic Agent: There is strong evidence to indicate that exposure to Alcohol during pregnancy may have a teratogenic effect on the fetus. A teratogen is a substance that can cause birth defects. The likelihood and severity of defects may be affected by the level of exposure and the stage of pregnancy that the exposure occurred at.
• Alcoholism: Alcoholism is the compulsive urge to drink alcohol despite knowing the negative impact on one's health.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Behavioral disorder with hyperactivity and/or inattention.
• Brain conditions: Medical conditions that affect the brain
• Cleft lip: A very rare syndrome characterized by the association of a cleft lip with retinal problems.
• Epilepsy: Brain condition causing seizures or spasms.
• Eye symptoms: Symptoms affecting the eye
• Facial feature symptoms: Different facial features as symptoms
• Female reproductive toxicity: There is mounting evidence which indicates that exposure to certain agents may produce adverse reproductive or fetal developmental effects. The possible range of effects includes reduced fertility, low birth weight, childhood cancer, spontaneous abortion and birth defects. Agents which may be implicated in these adverse effects includes anticancer drugs, carbon disulfide, carbon monoxide, lead, pesticides, organic solvents and tobacco smoke.
• Female reproductive toxicity - Alcohol: There is some evidence which indicates that some women exposed to alcohol may suffer adverse effects as a result. Possible adverse effects due to chronic maternal alcohol exposure includes irregular menstrual cycle, fetal alcohol syndrome and physical and behavioral problems. Scientists have been unable to establish the quantity of alcohol required to cause reproductive toxicity.
• Lip symptoms: Symptoms affecting one or both lips.
• Low birth weight: When the weight of a new born baby is below average
• Meningomyelocele: A very rare developmental disorder where a part of the membrane that covers the spinal cord and part of the spinal cord itself protrudes through an abnormal opening in the bones of the spinal column. The condition may be asymptomatic or if the defect is large, severe neurological abnormalities may result.
• Microcephaly: Small head circumference
• Poor growth: Poor body growth or delayed physical development.
• Pregnancy: The condition of supporting a fetus from conception till birth.

 » Next page: Clinical Trials for Fetal alcohol syndrome

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• Bibliography: Nervous System (A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis)
• Central Nervous System Complications of HIV (A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis)
• Alcohol-related disorder (Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

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