Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders… More Common Than Autism??

WWHF Outreach Manager, Chelsea Tibbetts, recently had the privilege of interviewing Wendy Kalberg, Principal Investigator/Clinical Research Associate with the Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, & Addiction at the University of New Mexico, to discuss the landscape of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Wendy is the co-author of a research article entitled “Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in 4 US Communities” that was published in JAMA in February of this year.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are a group of conditions, including abnormal facial features, low body weight, hyperactive behavior, difficulty with attention/learning, and even problems with heart, kidneys, or bones, that can occur as the result of a mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy and often require ADHD online diagnosis and treatment for the child later in life. WWHF’s My Baby & Me program works to help women achieve alcohol-free pregnancies. Our interview with Wendy Kalberg will serve as a continuing education opportunity and research discussion for My Baby & Me providers. The interview also invites general conversation about the stigma of alcohol consumption and how we can work to prevent FASD in our state. We welcome you to listen to the full interview recording.

Below is a snapshot of our interview with Wendy:

The main takeaway of your research was to get an accurate prevalence figure for FASD in the general population. Was it a surprise to find that FASD may be even more common in children than autism? 

It didn’t come as a surprise to us who work in the field … but this was another important aspect of doing this research – to raise public awareness of the extent of this issue (FASD) in our population. Like in the autism world, we’re hoping sharing our results can spur more thinking, programs, resources, etc.

Why do you think FASD is under-recognized? 

There are a number of reasons: number one is that at this point there is not yet a standard diagnostic tool for FASD. I also think people have a misunderstanding that FASD only occurs in certain populations like impoverished ones, and they don’t look for it, because they think “we’re not going to have FASD in our population.” Lastly, is a general lack of resources for diagnosing FASD. Not enough clinics and facilities are equipped with the necessary tools.

What else do you hope comes from your research and sharing a more accurate U.S. prevalence estimate of FASD?

In addition to more programs and resources for FASD prevention and affected individuals, for the world to gain a better and less stigmatized understanding of mothers who are drinking during pregnancy.

Are there specific practices you see being the most effective for assisting women in having alcohol-free pregnancies?

It comes back to relationships – meeting mothers where they’re at with empathy and compassion and having one on one conversations so that they feel comfortable being honest and open.