title: The first report of fetal alcohol effect in a 12 year-old child in Korea.
abstract: We present the first report of fetal alcohol effect in a 12 year-old child in Korea. The mother had consumed 162 g of alcohol per week continuously during pregnancy. His first febrile seizure occurred before he was 1 year old, and became more frequent 2 years later. He started showing signs of right paraplegia when he was 3.5 years old and brain MRI revealed periventricular leucomalacia near the left ventricle. He was microcephalic and his growth was retarded. He was irritable, impatient, impulsive, and inattentive, and showed disinterest in school activities and aggressive and dangerous behavior. After the diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was made, psychopharmacological treatment and family support was initiated. After 10 months, he still had intermittent ideas of reference, although the aggressive behavior, inattentiveness, and impulsivity had improved. Using this case study, we stress the importance of maternal alcohol history in patients with these characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Bhang
authors.forename: Dong Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Young Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ho Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Joon Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahn