Clinical delineation of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in Italian children: comparison and contrast with other racial/ethnic groups and implications for diagnosis and prevention.
In Italy, little is known about the spectrum of adverse fetal effects related to maternal alcohol use during pregnancy. In this paper, we report on the phenotype of Italian children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). These data were gathered as part of a field study assessing the prevalence of FASD in children in an in-school study in a rural area near Rome. The purposes of this paper are: (1) to completely characterize the clinical phenotype of a large cohort of Italian children with FASD; (2) to correlate and contrast the phenotype of this population with that observed in other populations and reported in the medical literature; (3) to discuss the drinking habits of Italian women, before, during and after pregnancy; and (4) to suggest mechanisms for intervention and prevention of FASD based on data gathered from this study.
Ceccanti
Mauro
M
University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. m.ceccanti@uniromal.it
Alessandra Spagnolo
Primavera
P
Tarani
Luigi
L
Luisa Attilia
Maria
M
Chessa
Luciana
L
Mancinelli
Rosanna
R
Stegagno
Michele
M
Francesco Sasso
Guido
G
Romeo
Marina
M
Jones
Kenneth L
KL
Robinson
Luther K
LK
Del Campo
Miguel
M
Phillip Gossage
J
J
May
Philip A
PA
Eugene Hoyme
H
H
D000438:Alcohols; D002648:Child; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology
D000438:Alcohols