FASD May Affect About 5% of U.S. Children
Although drinking during pregnancy has long been considered taboo, new research suggests that as many as one in 20 U.S. children may have health or behavioral problems related to alcohol exposure before birth. “Knowing not to drink during pregnancy and not doing so are two different things,” especially before a woman knows she is pregnant, said lead researcher Philip May, a professor of public health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He said the high prevalence of children affected by drinking during pregnancy may be due to social pressures or women’s difficulty in changing their drinking habits. Findings…
3D Imaging Could Improve Detection of Children Affected by Prenatal Alcohol
According to a study conducted through the NIAAA-funded Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (CIFASD), three-dimensional (3-D) imaging could allow earlier identification of children at risk for cognitive deficits from heavy prenatal alcohol exposure, especially those who lack the classic facial characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). The computerized image analysis can detect subtle changes in facial features that can occur when children are exposed to alcohol before birth. Click HERE to continue reading
Alcohol Use Among Pregnant Women in Substance Abuse Treatment Drops
According to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) the percentage of pregnant woman in substance abuse treatment using alcohol (with or without drug use) dropped from 46.6% to 34.8% over a ten year period. However, the report also shows that the percentage of substance abuse admissions involving pregnant women using drugs (without co-occurring alcohol use) rose from 51.1% to 63.8% during this same period. Click here to continue reading
New Web-Based FASD Toolkit
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), with support through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) has developed a comprehensive, web-based FASD toolkit that helps to raise awareness, promote surveillance and screening, and ensure that all affected children receive appropriate and timely interventions. Primary care providers should consider FASDs when evaluating children with developmental problems, behavioral concerns, or school failure. Like other children with complex medical or behavioral disabilities, children with FASD need a pediatric medical home to provide and coordinate care and ensure necessary medical, behavioral,…