Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is the term used to describe the entire range of effects that can occur due to alcohol consumption during pregnancy. FASD disabilities range from mild to moderate to severe.

The types of FASD include:

• Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Characterized by distinctive facial features, physical growth deficiencies and central nervous system (CNS) problems. Next to death, FAS is the most severe collection of abnormalities that can occur as the result of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
  
  
• Alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND). Involves CNS deficiencies. This may include impairment of motor skills (e.g., poor hand-eye coordination) and cognitive abilities (e.g., learning disabilities, difficulties with memory, attention and judgment). Children with ARND are likely to display behavioral problems (e.g., poor school performance, impulsivity) as a result of these impairments. ARND does not include the facial abnormalities and physical growth deficiencies typically associated with FAS.
  
  
• Alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD). Structural or functional defects of the body that occur as the result of fetal alcohol exposure. Children with ARBD may have problems with the heart, kidneys, bones, hearing, vision or a combination thereof. ARBD does not include the facial abnormalities, physical growth deficiencies or CNS problems typically associated with FAS.
  
  
• Partial fetal alcohol syndrome (PFAS). Children who have some but not all signs of FAS. PFAS includes signs of facial abnormality, growth deficiency and CNS or cognitive impairment. PFAS is sometimes referred to as atypical FAS.  

Another term, fetal alcohol effects (FAE), was previously used to describe signs of fetal alcohol exposure that were usually less severe and less noticeable than FAS signs. In 1996, the National Academy of Sciences (Institute of Medicine) recommended that FAE be replaced with the more specific ARND and ARBD designations.