FASD Prevalence among Schoolchildren in Poland
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
Published online on October 01, 2015
Abstract
Background
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure is a major cause of brain damage and developmental delay, known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) but in Poland is rarely diagnosed and the scale of problem is not known.
Methods
An active case ascertainment approach was applied to estimate the prevalence of FASD among 7–9 years olds. Pre‐screening was conducted in 113 randomly selected regular and special schools. In the screening phase participated 280 children (54% from the risk group, 60% boys). The entire number of eligible students (N = 2500) was taken as a denominator.
Results
The prevalence of FASD is not lower than 2%, including 0.4% of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Conclusions
Neurodevelopmental disorders associated with PAE are a serious challenge for the public health system. Development of procedures and services to diagnose and to support individuals affected by PAE and their families is an urgent need in Poland.