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Published on: August 5, 2017
Recognition, diagnosis and treatment of fetal alcohol syndrome
G Bradley Schaefer1, David Deere
1Arkansas Team of the Midwest Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Training Center, USA.
Insights
Early diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) is crucial for better outcomes. Healthcare providers should consider FASDs in children with developmental issues for prompt intervention and services.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Public Health
Background:
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) are prevalent conditions with significant clinical and societal impacts.
- Accurate diagnosis is the first step toward effective prevention and treatment.
- Early recognition and intervention are linked to improved patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review diagnostic criteria for FASDs.
- To highlight clues for early identification of FASDs.
- To discuss effective therapeutic options for individuals with FASDs.
Main Methods:
- Review of diagnostic criteria for FASDs.
- Identification of key indicators for early diagnosis.
- Summary of evidence-based therapeutic interventions.
Main Results:
- Early diagnosis of FASDs requires considering them in the differential diagnosis of developmental disorders.
- Prompt referral and enrollment in services are essential once an FASD is identified.
- Specific therapeutic strategies have demonstrated effectiveness.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers must maintain a high index of suspicion for FASDs in children with special healthcare needs.
- Timely diagnosis and intervention significantly improve outcomes for individuals with FASDs.
- Understanding diagnostic clues and therapeutic options is vital for managing FASDs.
Abstract:
Fetal Alcohol spectrum disorders are extremely common. The clinical impact and societal effects are tremendous. Prevention and treatment of these disorders begins with an accurate diagnosis. All health care providers who work with children (and adults) with special health care needs should be alert to these findings. The key to early diagnosis is to always keep the diagnostic possibility in the broad differential diagnoses of growth and developmental disorders. As with most conditions, early recognition and intervention is associated with better outcomes. Once an FASD is identified in a specific patient, prompt referrals and enrollment in indicated services are necessary to get the best outcomes. In this article we review the diagnostic criteria and clues to prompt early identification of FASDs. We also discuss the therapeutic options shown to be most effective for this group of individuals.
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