Flow Diagram for Evaluation
The Flow Diagram was devised to facilitate greater clinical recognition of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), including fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), while acknowledging that FASD could and should be recognized in individuals of any age. The AAP working in concert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created this Flow Diagram to guide medical home providers through effective FAS/FASD screening, early identification, management, and referral. The term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders describes the range of outcomes that can occur in an individual who was exposed to alcohol in utero. This term is not intended as a specific clinical diagnosis, but refers to a continuum of conditions or ‘disorders’ that may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications. FAS, considered the most severely affected ‘tip of the FASD iceberg,’ has very specific diagnostic criteria. Other FASD are Partial FAS, alcohol‐related birth defects (ARBD), neurobehavioral disorder-pre‐natal alcohol exposure (ND‐PAE), and alcohol related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND). Research will continue to delineate this evolving category as specific diagnostic criteria can be defined.
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Credit / Sources
This guide was developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.