FetalAlcoholSpectrumDisorders

: A new study finds that fetal alcohol syndrome is underdiagnosed in children 7 to 9 years old, highlighting the need to train clinicians in spotting the syndrome's physical and behavioral features.  

 

O’Brien rightly rejects bullying intelligent, autonomous, adults just because they are pregnant.1 The answer to his question “just how common are fetal alcohol spectrum disorders?” is that alcohol during pregnancy is the foremost cause of preventable mental impairment in Western countries.2 Moreover, because few clinicians diagnose prenatal exposure to alcohol at birth, it is too late to offer secondary …  

: No amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy, and alcohol-related birth defects and developmental disabilities are completely preventable when pregnant women abstain from alcohol.  

To prevent fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, the CDC urges physicians to conduct regular alcohol screening and talk with women about birth control.  

Alcohol use is common in Australian women with surveys suggesting that around 90% of 18-45 year olds have had a drink in the last year and that around 39% of these are unaware of the health implications of drinking on the developing fetus. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a leading cause of preventable intellectual disability. An Australian diagnostic guide has recently been developed by the Telethon Kids Institute to help clinicians make the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders. In this post we cover some of the basics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and provide some resources for those who want to learn more.