Opinion- Is Fetal Alcohol Exposure (FAE) Important?


Authored by Carl C Bell

This opinion answers the question "Is exposure to fetal alcohol important?"; Especially, when considering the etiology of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Based on clinical experience and scientific literature the answer is a resounding "Yes";. A recent Institute of Medicine Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education report on Mental Disorders and Disabilities among Low-Income Children focused on the prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorders and Conduct Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, and Mood Disorders. Unfortunately, fetal alcohol exposure (FAE) did not have enough hard evidence to be included. There was very little mention of this common etiologic factor in the Neuro developmental Disorders of Childhood. The authors think this oversight was unfortunate but symptomatic of the lack of understanding of how common FAE is in low-come children. This consideration of FAE is critically important because emerging scientific evidence suggests that many of the common neuro developmental disorders are directly related to FAE or a deficiency in choline and importantly this lack of choline in the developing fetus can be potentially corrected using public health methods. Of course, the problem is if scientists and clinicians do not recognize the prevalence of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities that are caused by FAE, the planet will never make headway on this potentially large and correctable problem.

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