Fetal Alcohol Syndrome A literature review - Department of Health ...

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Glossary
Anencephaly
Congenital absence of the cranial vault, with cerebral hemispheres completely missing or
reduced to small masses attached to the base of the skull.
Binge drinking
Generally considered as consumption of at least five or more drinks per occasion for
women.
Cerebellum
Part of the brain concerned with the coordination of movements.
Corpus Callosum
An arched mass of white matter which connects the cerebral hemispheres.
Dysmorphogenesis
Malformation of the development of form, in this case the fetus.
Epicanthal folds
A vertical fold of skin on either side of the nose, sometimes covering the inner canthus
(of the eye). It is present as a normal characteristic in persons of certain races and
sometimes occurs as a congenital anomaly in others.
Hydrocephalus
A condition characterized by abnormal accumulation of fluid in the cranial vault,
accompanied by enlargement of the head, prominence of the forehead, atrophy of the
brain, mental deterioration, and convulsions. It may be congenital or acquired and have a
sudden onset.
ICD-9-CM, 760.71 –
This code of the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, comprises
noxious influences affecting the fetus or newborn through placenta or breast milk,
specifically alcohol, and includes FAS. The code however is not specific for FAS.
Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program (MACDP)
Monitors infants born to residents of five metropolitan Atlanta counties using multiple
sources to identify diagnoses of FAS in newborns and infants through the first year of
life. Abstractors visit all birth hospitals, neonatal intensive-care units, and genetics clinics
to identify and document possible cases.
Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program (MADDSP)
Identifies children aged 3-10 years of age living in the same five metropolitan Atlanta
counties who have mental retardation, cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, or vision
impairment. These children are primarily enrolled in public special education programs
or receiving other special services.
Microcephalus
An individual with a very small head.
Microcephaly
Abnormal smallness of the head, usually associated with mental retardation.
Micrognathia
Failure of development of the lower jaw resulting in a receding chin.