Fetal alcohol syndrome
The following criteria must be fully met for an FAS diagnosis:
Growth deficiency: Prenatal or postnatal height or weight (or both) at or below the 10th percentile
FAS facial features: All three FAS facial features present
Central nervous system damage: Clinically significant structural neurological, or functional impairment
Prenatal alcohol exposure: Confirmed or Unknown prenatal alcohol exposureFetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the first diagnosable condition of FASD that was discovered. FAS is the only expression of FASD that has garnered consensus among experts to become an official ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis. To make this diagnosis or determine any FASD condition, a multi-disciplinary evaluation is necessary to assess each of the four key features for assessment. Generally, a trained physician will determine growth deficiency and FAS facial features. While a qualified physician may also assess central nervous system structural abnormalities and/or neurological problems, usually central nervous system damage is determined through psychological, speech-language, and occupational therapy assessments to ascertain clinically significant impairments in three or more of the Ten Brain Domains. Prenatal alcohol exposure risk may be assessed by a qualified physician, psychologist, social worker, or chemical health counselor. These professionals work together as a team to assess and interpret data of each key feature for assessment and develop an integrative, multi-disciplinary report to diagnose FAS (or other FASD conditions) in an individual. Partial FAS
Partial FAS (pFAS) was previously known as atypical FAS in the 1997 edition of the "4-Digit Diagnostic Code".
These tests may not always be accurate, as they lack sensitivity to mild cognitive impairment, and can be biased by language or attention problems; more comprehensive test arrays are necessary for high reliability of results, particularly in the earliest stages of the disease.Further neurological examinations are crucial in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimers disease and other diseases. Interviews with family members are used in assessment; caregivers can supply important information on daily living abilities and on the decrease in the persons mental function. A caregivers viewpoint is particularly important, since a person with Alzheimers disease is commonly unaware of their deficits. Many times, families have difficulties in the detection of initial dementia symptoms and may not communicate accurate information to a physician.Supplemental testing can rule out other potentially treatable diagnoses and help avoid misdiagnoses. Common supplemental tests include blood tests, thyroid function tests, as well as tests to assess vitamin B12 levels, rule out neurosyphilis and rule out metabolic problems (including tests for kidney function, electrolyte levels and for diabetes). MRI or CT scans might also be used to rule out other potential causes of the symptoms – including tumors or strokes.