Intervention recommendations and subsequent access to services following clinical assessment for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

• Published in: Research in developmental disabilities 2017-01, Vol.60, p.176-186
• Main Authors: Pei, Jacqueline, Baugh, Lauren, Andrew, Gail, Rasmussen, Carmen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Age Factors; Child; Child Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Child, Preschool; Clinical assessment; Education, Special - statistics & numerical data; Female; Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders - rehabilitation; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Infant; Intervention; Male; Prenatal alcohol exposure; Preventive Medicine; Retrospective Studies; Service use; Social Skills; United States
• ISSN: 0891-4222; 1873-3379
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2016.11.007

•Education, medical, and anticipatory guidance recommendations were very common.•Children with FASD received more recommendations overall than those without FASD.•Presence of FASD diagnosis was related to which recommendations were given.•Age was related to which types of recommendations were given.•Many families accessed recommended interventions, such as school support. Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) experience multiple difficulties requiring various interventions. Researchers have called for investigation into service use with respect to clinically recommended interventions. To examine intervention recommendations for children with FASD/PAE and subsequent access to these recommended interventions. Intervention recommendations following FASD assessment were examined for children (1–17 years). Recommendations were compared according to diagnostic status and demographic and environmental variables. Subsequent access to several interventions was examined for 45 participants. A variety of recommendations were given. Children with FASD received more recommendations overall and received more education, anticipatory guidance, family support, and safety recommendations than undiagnosed children with PAE. Undiagnosed children received more mental health and reassessment recommendations. Older children received fewer family support and developmental therapy recommendations but more mental health recommendations than younger age groups. Many families accessed modified school programming, developmental therapy, psychiatry, child counseling, and parent support as recommended. Children with FASD and PAE have extensive needs and should receive individualized recommendations. An assessment is valuable even without an FASD diagnosis. Areas of high/low service access may provide insight into accessibility and perceived importance of interventions. This study responds to important research questions regarding the intervention needs of individuals with FASD. It is novel in its exploration of intervention recommendations given to children prenatally exposed to alcohol without an FASD diagnosis (rather than only children with FASD) and in its examination of post-assessment service use patterns specifically in relation to clinical recommendations.