Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Anthropometric and Oral Health Status

Objective: was to analyse the anthropometric measures and oral health status of children with fetal alcohol syndrome and compare them to matched controls. Methods: The sample of 90 cases (children diagnosed with FAS) and 90 controls were matched for age, gender and social class. Results: The mean age of the cases was 8.9 years with the controls slightly older at 9.1 years. The results of the anthropometric measurements in respect of weight, height and head circumference showed significantly lower values for the FAS children when compared to the controls. Several physical abnormalities described in children with FAS were seen in this study including deformities in the small joints of the hand, altered palmar creases and malformation of the ears. The prevalence of enamel opacities between FAS and controls was not significantly different and averaged around 15% for both groups. More than three quarters of both the cases and the controls demonstrated the presence of plaque and almost two thirds demonstrated gingival bleeding on probing. FAS patients had statistically significantly (p<0.001) more dentofacial anomalies than the controls. The mean dmft score for the FAS sample was slightly higher, though not significantly different from that of the controls and the decayed component (d) made up the largest part of the index in both groups. Conclusions: The data suggest that craniofacial anthropometry still has a place in the field to quickly and reliably identify children with subtle alcohol effects. There is a need for large-scale, longitudinal standardized studies to elucidate the finer aspects of the onslaught of alcohol on the development of the craniofacial and oro-dental apparatus of the developing fetus. These studies would need to incorporate biological and genetic variables that exacerbate fetal damage that could not be included in the present study.