Development of Canadian screening tools for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
BACKGROUND
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the most common cause of neurobehavioural handicap in North America. Screening for FASD may facilitate diagnosis and hence management of these children. We present a variety of screening tools for the identification of children at risk for FASD.


METHODS
We critically reviewed and evaluated published and practiced methods for their potential of screening suspected cases, their epidemiological characteristics (sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values) [Phase I], as well as their feasibility [Phase II].


RESULTS
The following five tools were selected for the FASD screening toolkit: screening fatty acid ethyl esters in neonatal meconium, the modified Child Behaviour Checklist, Medicine Wheel tool, Asante Centre Probation Officer Tool, and maternal history of drinking and drug use.


CONCLUSIONS
The toolkit for FASD screening aims at screening different populations, from the newborns to youth and at-risk mothers. It is anticipated that the toolkit will facilitate diagnosis of FASD.
Goh
Y Ingrid
YI
The Motherisk Program, Division of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario.
Chudley
Albert E
AE
Clarren
Sterling K
SK
Koren
Gideon
G
Orrbine
Elaine
E
Rosales
Ted
T
Rosenbaum
Charlotte
C
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015415:Biomarkers; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004952:Esters / Q000032:analysis; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000592:standards*; D008470:Meconium / Q000737:chemistry; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection
D015415:Biomarkers; D004952:Esters; D005227:Fatty Acids