Definition of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a medical condition characterized by physical and behavioral disabilities resulting from heavy exposure to alcohol before birth. A child with a history of prenatal alcohol exposure but not all the physical or behavioral symptoms of FAS may be categorized as having fetal alcohol effects (FAE) or alcohol related birth defects (ARBD). It should be noted that FAE is not the less severe form of FAS: rather, a child with FAE does not have all the physical abnormalities of FAS.
