scholarly journals Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in Greater Manchester, UK: an active case ascertainment study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn McCarthy ◽  
Raja A.S. Mukherjee ◽  
Kate M. Fleming ◽  
Jonathan Green ◽  
Jill Clayton-Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Special Educational Needs ◽  
Fetal Alcohol ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Active Case ◽  
Case Ascertainment ◽  
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

Background: Despite high levels of prenatal alcohol exposure in the UK, evidence on the prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is lacking. This paper reports on FASD prevalence in a small sample. Methods: A two-phase active case ascertainment study was conducted in three mainstream primary schools in Greater Manchester, UK. Schools were located in areas that ranged from relatively deprived to relatively affluent. Initial screening of children aged 8-9 years used pre-specified criteria for elevated FASD risk (small for age; special educational needs; currently/previously in care; significant social/emotional/mental health symptoms). Screen positive children were invited for detailed ascertainment of FASD using gold standard measures. Results: Of 220 eligible children, 50 (23%) screened positive and 12% (26/220) proceeded to phase-two assessment. Twenty had a developmental disorder, four had FASD and four were assessed as possible FASD. The crude prevalence rate of FASD in these schools was 1.8% (95%CI: 1.0%,3.4%) and when including possible cases was 3.6% (2.1%,6.3%). None of these children had previously identified with a developmental diagnosis. Conclusions: FASD was found to be common in these schools, but limitations to the sampling restrict inferences to a population prevalence. Most of these children's needs had not previously been identified.

scholarly journals Language Development Disorder in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), a Case Study

Languages ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Yuri E. Vega-Rodríguez ◽  
Elena Garayzabal-Heinze ◽  
Esther Moraleda-Sepúlveda
Keyword(s):  
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Fetal Alcohol ◽  
Foster Home ◽  
Language Development Disorder ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause developmental damage in children. There are different types and ranges of alterations that fall under the name of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Disabilities in learning, cognition, and behavior are observed. Environmental conditions are an influencing factor in this population since they are generally adverse and are either not diagnosed at an early stage or given the appropriate support and approach. We present a case study of a 9-year-old child, in which all the variables affecting his development (FASD diagnosis and socioenvironmental conditions) were observed and analyzed. His early childhood under institutional care, the move to a foster home at the age of 6, and several measures of evaluation from foster care to the present are described. Difficulties in vocabulary, access to vocabulary, morphology, syntax, grammar, oral narrative, pragmatics, speech, and communication were observed, along with cognitive difficulties in memory, perception and executive functioning, social adaptation, learning, and behavior. An early diagnosis and approach enable this population to develop skills in different dimensions to address early adversity despite their neurological and behavioral commitment. Speech-language pathologist services are crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of the language and communication difficulties that characterize this syndrome.

scholarly journals Screening in treatment programs for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders that could affect therapeutic progress

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 37-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Therese M Grant ◽  
Natalie Novick Brown ◽  
J. Christopher Graham ◽  
Nancy Whitney ◽  
Dan Dubovsky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Cognitive Impairments ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Fetal Alcohol ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

Grant, T., Novick Brown, N., Graham, J., Whitney, N., Dubovsky, D. , & Nelson, L. (2013). Screening in treatment programs for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders that could affect therapeutic progress. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 2(3), 37-49. doi:10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.116 (http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.116)Aims: While structured intake interviews are the standard of care in substance abuse treatment programs, these interviews often do not screen for cognitive impairments, such as those found in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and other brain-based developmental disorders. The research reported here supports a brief interview protocol, the Life History Screen (LHS), that screens clients unobtrusively for adverse life-course outcomes typically found in FASD, so as to guide follow-up assessments and treatment planning.Design: Two-group observational study.Setting: A three-year case management intervention program in Washington State for high-risk women who abuse alcohol and/or drugs during pregnancy.Participants: Group 1: No prenatal alcohol exposure (N = 463); Group 2: Diagnosed with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder, fetal alcohol effects, or static encephalopathy) by a qualified physician (N = 25), or suspected of having FASD (reported prenatal alcohol exposure and displayed behaviors consistent with a clinical diagnosis of FASD) (N = 61).Measures: The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was administered to participants at intake. We analyzed eleven ASI items that corresponded to questions on the LHS in order to assess the potential of the LHS for identifying adults with possible FASD. The Life History Screen itself was not administered.Findings: Analysis of group differences between the diagnosed FASD and suspected FASD groups supported our decision to collapse the two groups for the main analysis. The Life History Screen shows promise as an efficient pre-treatment screen, in that core items are significantly associated with FASD group membership on factors involving childhood history, maternal drinking, education, substance use, employment, and psychiatric symptomatology.Conclusions: The Life History Screen may have utility as a self-report measure that can be used at the outset of treatment to identify clients with cognitive impairments and learning disabilities due to prenatal alcohol exposure.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document