Australian-first guidelines give five-point checklist for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Variations in symptoms have historically made the condition difficult to define.
The NHMRC has approved the first guidelines on diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, setting a minimum prenatal alcohol exposure threshold of two standard drinks a week.
Because fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) lacked biomarkers or consistent symptoms, there had been no international consensus on diagnostic criteria, lead author Dr Natasha Reid (PhD) told AusDoc.
She said a guide on diagnosis was released in 2016, but the NHMRC guidelines marked a milestone for a condition historically considered difficult to diagnose.
She said feedback from doctors suggested that FASD had sometimes been overlooked for better-known conditions, such as autism.
