International Survey of Diagnostic Services for Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Author Information
Author(s): Elizabeth Peadon, Emily Fremantle, Carol Bower, Elizabeth J Elliott
Primary Institution: The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, University of Western Australia
Hypothesis
The study aims to describe specialist clinical service provision for the diagnosis and assessment of children exposed to alcohol in pregnancy.
Conclusion
Diagnostic services are concentrated in North America, and most clinics use a multidisciplinary approach with neurobehavioural assessment as recommended.
Supporting Evidence
- Most clinics are in North America, with a variety of funding sources.
- Thirty-three clinics had a multi-disciplinary team.
- Neurobehavioural assessment was completed in 32 clinics.
Takeaway
This study looked at clinics that help kids affected by alcohol during pregnancy. Most of these clinics are in North America and work with teams of different specialists.
Methodology
Clinics were identified through literature and internet searches, and a questionnaire was sent to collect data on clinic characteristics and services.
Potential Biases
The response rate was disappointing, and data for some clinics were obtained only from published reports.
Limitations
The study may not represent all clinics due to low response rates and potential bias towards larger clinics with online presence.
Participant Demographics
Clinics reported a majority of Caucasian children, with some clinics seeing indigenous populations; many children lived in alternate care.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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