Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders more widespread in U.S. than thought
Study sheds light on vast numbers of undiagnosed youth
By Laura Kelly
February 14, 2018
More children are suffering from fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) than previously thought, according to a new study shedding light on vast numbers of undiagnosed youth with symptoms ranging from stunted growth, organ and brain damage to cognitive and behavioral issues.
About 1 percent of children was believed to have FASD, but the study says that as much as 10 percent actually could be affected.
“We hope this leads to a call to action, that there is a need for broader access to and availability of clinical services for children with an FASD,” Dr. Christina Chambers, the study’s co-author, said Wednesday in a call with reporters.
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders describes a range of developmental problems from drinking alcohol during pregnancy, including fetal alcohol syndrome and disorders in brain development.
“FASD is a significant public health problem, and strategies to expand screening, diagnosis, prevention and treatment are needed to address it,” said Dr. Patricia Powell, deputy director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which funded the study.
Published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study is one of the most thorough investigations into the topic, with a sufficiently large sample size to extrapolate for the U.S. population.