[Fetal alcohol syndrome and alcohol-related neuro-developmental disorder. A review.].

Prenatal alcohol exposure can have devastating consequences for the unborn child. The physical malformations and growth retardation characteristic of the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) only represent the tip of the teratological iceberg. The functional impairments that are not obvious to the eye have the most detrimental consequences for the individual. The cognitive and behavioral problems seen in alcoholexposed children are caused by alterations in brain function and/or structure. The extent of damage to the brain is time and dose related. Fetal alcohol syndrome and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) have been estimated to affect as many as 9.1 children per 1,000 according to a prospective study in Seattle, USA. Long-term outcome reveals an excess of social and mental problems. The incidence of FAS and ARND in Icelandic children is unknown. Various research outcomes and implications for therapy are discussed.