The fetal alcohol syndrome in adolescence.

At present, alcohol is recognized as the leading teratogenic agent in long-lasting CNS dysfunction. Little is known about the long-term development and outcome of children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Forty-four FAS patients who were diagnosed in early childhood were followed up for 10-14 years. This study documents the developmental changes of the manifestations of FAS from childhood to adolescence and describes a characteristic "juvenile" pattern of FAS, which may help to identify this syndrome even in adolescence. This is especially relevant for patients who were not diagnosed earlier.