OVERVIEW
This page is dedicated to organizing various examples of standardized exam questions whose answer is fetal alcohol syndrome. While this may seem a odd practice, it is useful to see multiple examples of how fetal alcohol syndrome will be characterized on standardized exams (namely the boards and the shelf exams). This page is not meant to be used as a tradition question bank (as all of the answers will be the same), however seeing the classic “test” characterization for a disease is quite valuable.
QUESTION EXAMPLES
Question # 1
A 6 year old boy is brought tot he clinic by his adoptive parents because of continued concerns regarding both his behavior at home, and his performance in school. He is one grade level behind his peers in reading, and he often will get into fights with the other children. He has no notable past medical history, and does not take any medications. His biological mother abused multiple substances before and during the pregnancy. When he was adopted (at the age of 16 months) there was also evidence that she was physically abusing him. He is at the 12the percentile for height and 6th percentile for weight. His pulse is 85/min, and blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. Physical exam shows a flattened nasal bridge, a long philtrum, and prominent ears. During the medical interview the child is friendly, but becomes upset and distracted easily. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Question # 2
A 28-year-old woman is seen for postpartum blues by her doctor. She exclaims that she is depressed because she “is the one to blame for her child’s condition.” Her child has been found to have growth retardation, microphthalmia, short palpebral fissures, midface hypoplasia, a short philtrum, a thin upper lip, and microcephaly. What condition is her child likely suffering from?
Page Updated: 09.18.2016