Table 1 Diagnostic criteria for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

1) Confirmation of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE)

2) The characteristic craniofacial dysmorphia of FAS including:

 - Narrow palpebral clefts,

 - An elongated, bulging philtrum with no relief,

 - A short nose with anteverted nostrils,

 - A thin and narrow upper lip,

 - A small recessed chin

3) Growth retardation either prenatal (intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR)) or postnatal. This delay affects head circumference, weight and height

4) Evidence of central nervous system (CNS) damage, which may be:

 - structural: cerebral growth deficiency (e.g. microcephaly, agenesis of the corpus callosum, cerebellar hypoplasia)

 - functional: manifested by mild or profound neurological disorders (depending on age) such as fine motor disorders, sensorineural deafness, poor gait, poor hand–eye coordination

These last three criteria (2, 3 and 4) constitute the symptomatic triad of the syndrome

Thus, when alcohol consumption is not documented but these three criteria are evident, the diagnosis of "FAS without confirmation of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure" can be made

5) The presence of behavioral and cognitive abnormalities that are inconsistent with developmental level and cannot be explained by family history or environment alone, such as learning disabilities, deficits in academic performance, poor control of impulsivity, difficulties in social perception, deficits in receptive and expressive language, reduced capacity for abstraction or metacognition, specific deficits in mathematics, problems with memory, attention, or judgment