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Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Have More Severe Behavioral Problems Than Those With ADHD
Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have a high risk of psychiatric problems, particularly attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, or both. Often children with FASD are initially diagnosed with ADHD. A new study is the first to examine a range of cognitive factors and social behavior in children with FASD and ADHD, finding that those with FASD have significantly weaker social cognition and facial emotion-processing abilities. (Source: Medical News Today, 7/18/09)

A North Dakota, USA, woman recently pleaded guilty to child-neglect charges after prosecutors accused her of breast-feeding her infant while drunk, but the case has prompted debate over the legality and wisdom of the charges. (Source: Join Together, 7/9/09)

There is uncertainty as to whether there is a safe threshold for drinking alcohol during pregnancy. We explored pregnant women’s attitudes towards drinking alcohol in pregnancy and their attitudes towards sources of information about drinking in pregnancy following recent changes in UK government guidance.
Conclusions: Pregnant women wished to take responsibility for their own health and make choices based on informed advice. In order to do so, they require clear and consistent advice about safe levels of drinking from policy makers and health professionals. This is an important issue as women might drink socially during their pregnancy. (Source: BMC Public Health,6/5/09)

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# Eurocare’s Annual General Assembly. 10 June, Stockholm
# Alcohol Policy Network meeting. 10 – 12 June, Stockholm
# Symposium on Science, Communication and Policy. 15-16 June, Strathclyde, Glasgow
# Alcohol and Pregnancy Conference. 9 September, Brussels
# Expert meeting on Alcohol and Health. 21 – 22 September 2009, Stockholm
# Models, implications and meanings of alcohol and drug treatment systems. 7 – 9 October 2009, Stockholm.
# 6th Annual Conference of the International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol Problems (INEBRIA). 8 – 9 October 2009, UK
# Youth, Alcohol & Crime (Problems & Effective Responses). International Conference. 13 November 2009, Bristol. (Source and links: Eurocare Newsletter April/May 09)

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Woman Who Allegedly Breast-Fed While Drunk Faces Charges. A prosecutor in North Dakota has filed child-neglect charges against a 27-year-old woman for allegedly breast-feeding her baby while intoxicated. Police responding to a domestic-disturbance call in February reportedly observed Stacey Anvarinia of Grand Forks breast-feeding her six-month-old child and asked her to stop because she was drunk. No blood-alcohol test was taken at the time, however. (Source: Join Together, 5/1/09)

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Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) cause malformations in babies, including facial defects, short stature, and mental and behavioral abnormalities. The African frog, Xenopus, is a valuable tool for understanding early vertebrate development since these embryos are large, easy to work with and very responsive to environmental cues. New research uses this system to address the mechanism underlying the characteristics associated with maternal consumption of alcohol in early pregnancy. (Source: Medical News Today, 4/6/09)

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Improved technology, partnerships and collaboration across two provinces have allowed Queen’s University scientists to dramatically expand the use of eye-movement tests that help identify and assess children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). (Source: Medical News Today, 3/21/09)

Pattern of Prenatal Drinking Predictor of Child Performance
A metric derived by using multiple screening tools on perinatal alcohol use better predicted childhood behavioral problems than using any single measure of maternal alcohol consumption, such as binge-drinking occasions or weekly alcohol consumption, according to researchers studying fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. (Source: Join Together, 2/27/09)

A product that tests for traces of alcohol in breast milk has triggered warnings that mothers who rely on its findings could damage the health of babies and encourage binge drinking. Milkscreen, which goes on sale in Britain this week, contains test pads that change colour on contact with breast milk containing alcohol, warning women that it is unsafe to breastfeed. (Source: Harvard World Health News, 2/20/09) The Observer, London, 2/15/09

Greater Risk Of Preterm Birth A Consequence Of Binge Drinking
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics; Pediatrics / Children’s Health
A new study from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has revealed the consequences of heavy and binge drinking on pregnancy even after these drinking patterns have stopped. (Source: Medical News Today, 1/22/09)
Deutsche Webseite: Foetales Alkohol Syndrom