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- Title
Alcohol exposure during pregnancy altered childhood developmental trajectories in a rural South African community.
- Authors
Davies, Leigh‐Anne; Cockcroft, Kate; Olinger, Lynda; Chersich, Matthew; Urban, Michael; Chetty Makkan, Candice M.; Turnbull, Oliver H.; Olivier, Leana; Viljoen, Denis
- Abstract
<bold>Aim: </bold>This study examined the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on childhood development trajectories in a rural South African community between 2003 and 2008.<bold>Methods: </bold>We assessed 121 children at 7-12 months (year one) and 5-6 years (year five) using the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales - Extended Revised, which measures sensorimotor, cognitive and social development, with lower scores indicating developmental delay. We also interviewed their mothers or caregivers. Three groups were identified: 29 with foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or partial FAS (pFAS), 57 more who had been exposed to alcohol and 35 controls who had not.<bold>Results: </bold>The scale's total score was higher in the controls than in the FAS/pFAS group at year one and year five and in the alcohol-exposed group at year five. Many groups' trajectories declined when compared with global norms, but the trajectories in the FAS/pFAS and the alcohol-exposed groups declined more than the controls for eye-hand and performance and total score. Earlier pregnancy recognition in the FAS/pFAS group correlated strongly (r = -0.77) with higher GQ in year five.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>FAS/pFAS and prenatal alcohol exposure affected the Griffiths scores more than the control group. Efforts are needed to detect pregnancy early and reduce alcohol exposure.
- Subjects
SOUTH Africa; FETAL alcohol syndrome; PHYSIOLOGICAL effects of alcohol; CHILD development; PREGNANCY; COGNITION disorders in children; BEHAVIOR disorders in children; DISEASE risk factors; CASE-control method
- Publication
Acta Paediatrica, 2017, Vol 106, Issue 11, p1802
- ISSN
0803-5253
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1111/apa.13978