Ways To Effectively Treat Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a type of medical condition that can occur if a baby's mother drank alcohol during her pregnancy. Depending on the kind of FASD a baby has, they may experience physical abnormalities, memory issues, learning disabilities, hyperactivity, or intellectual disabilities. Even minuscule amounts of alcohol consumption during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder often occurs because a woman drank alcohol without realizing she was pregnant. Though a person with FASD will have to deal with symptoms of their condition throughout their life, there are ways to reduce their severity. Here are a few of the most effective options for treating fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Medication

Not every child with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder will need this treatment option, but in some cases, it can be helpful. Most prescriptions will be to treat the hyperactivity associated with FASD. In general, the most effective treatments for hyperactivity are stimulants similar to those that treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Antidepressant selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are also sometimes prescribed. These are traditionally used to treat depression, but for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder patients, SSRIs help to deal with the compulsive behaviors, aggression, and outbursts associated with the condition.

Stimulants and SSRIs are often prescribed together because they address common problems while canceling out each other's side effects. There are countless other antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and anti-anxiety medications that can be effective in some situations. You will have to talk to the doctor to find a treatment plan that works for your situation.

Continue for the next method of treating fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.