Long-Term Outcome of Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Psychopathology, Behavior, and Intelligence

• Published in: Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 334 - 338
• Main Authors: Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph, Spohr, Hans-Ludwig
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.1998; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Alcohol Drinking - adverse effects; Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Behavior; Berlin; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Damage, Chronic - diagnosis; Brain Damage, Chronic - psychology; Child; Child Behavior Disorders - diagnosis; Child Behavior Disorders - psychology; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Female; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders - diagnosis; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders - psychology; Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Infant; Intelligence; Intelligence - drug effects; Intelligence Tests; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental Disorders - psychology; Personality Assessment; Pregnancy; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychopathology; Toxicology; Europe; Germany; Berlin; Human; Fetal alcohol syndrome; Prognosis; Ethanol; Intelligence; Epidemiology; Long term; Newborn diseases; Delayed toxicity; Behavior; Psychopathology; Child; Public health
• ISSN: 0145-6008; 1530-0277
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1998.tb03657.x

Within an interdisciplinary research project, the long‐term outcome of children with fetal alcohol syndrome was studied. Methods for the assessment of psychopathology, behavior, and intelligence included psychiatric interviews, behavior checklists for parents and teachers, and intelligence tests. The children were assessed during preschool age, early school age (6 to 12 years), and late school age (≥ 13 years). An excess of psychopathology, (including hyperkinetic disorders, emotional disorders, sleep disorders, and abnormal habits and sterotypies) with a strong persistence over time was found. Cognitive functioning was marked by a large proportion of mentally retarded children and also did not change considerably over time. This long‐term outcome study reflects the handicapping effects of fetal alcohol syndrome.