Skilled Care for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in Northern California

Experts consider fetal alcohol syndrome a spectrum of abnormalities that can occur if a baby in the womb is exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol can damage the baby’s brain and cause problems with physical and intellectual development. Babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome often require extra medical care in infancy and special interventions in early childhood and later in life. 

Maternity services at Dignity Health North State includes skilled neonatal doctors and pediatricians with additional training treating babies with mild to serious fetal alcohol syndrome in Northern California. Use our Find a Doctor tool to receive care at any of our hospitals, including:

 

Signs & Symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome 

The other name for fetal alcohol syndrome is fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD. Babies born with an FASD are smaller than average, including smaller-than-normal head size. Other congenital characteristics include distinct facial features, heart defects, and deformities of the joints, limbs, or fingers. Prenatal testing, including ultrasound, may be sufficient to diagnose an FASD.

If your baby has an FASD, poor muscle tone can cause feeding problems at birth. Your baby may grow slower than normal and have speech, vision, and hearing problems. FASD also affects memory and learning.

 

Prevention & Treatment of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome at Dignity Health North State

Prevention of FASD starts with excellent prenatal care to teach women about the dangers of drinking alcohol during pregnancy or while trying to become pregnant. 

At Dignity Health North State, we want your baby to be as healthy as possible. Although there is no way to reverse the effects of fetal alcohol exposure, there is much we can do to help your child reach his or her fullest potential. Your baby’s doctor will perform a physical exam and make any necessary referrals to specialists, therapists, and genetic counselors to discuss treatment options. In case of premature birth and serious conditions related to FASD, we are prepared with neonatal experts and surgeons at Mercy Medical Center NICU in Redding. 

As a parent of a child with an FASD, you will receive training and education with our specialists to help you understand the condition and develop a personalized treatment plan for your child.

Talk to your OB/GYN for more information about prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of fetal alcohol syndrome in Northern California.

Dignity Health North State offers a warm, welcoming environment for family-centered care of fetal alcohol syndrome in Mt. Shasta, Red Bluff, and Redding, CA.