Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: development of consensus referral criteria for specialist diagnostic assessment in Australia

Table 1 Summary of published criteria for referral for individuals who may have fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder by criteria content ^*

Criterion main content	Chudley [12]	Loock [29]	CDC [14]	Astley [15]
1. Any confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE)	-	-	-	Yes
2. Confirmed significant PAE†	Yes	Yes	Yes	-
3. 3 characteristic FAS facial anomalies^‡	Yes	-	Yes	Yes
4. PAE (significant) and 3 characteristic FAS facial anomalies^‡	-	Yes	-	-
5. PAE (known or probable significant) and 1 facial anomaly^‡ and growth deficit	Yes	Yes	-	-
6. PAE (known or probable significant) and 1 facial anomaly^‡ and CNS deficit	Yes	Yes	-	-
7. PAE (known or probable significant) and CNS deficit	-	Yes	-	-
8. 1 facial anomaly^‡ and growth deficit and CNS deficit	-	Yes	Yes	-
9. 1 facial anomaly^‡ and growth deficit	-	-	Yes	-
10. 1 facial anomaly^‡ and CNS deficit	-	-	Yes	-
11. Concern by parent or caregiver that their child might have FAS	-	-	Yes	-

CDC – United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for referral for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
CNS – central nervous system.
PAE – prenatal alcohol exposure.
FAS – fetal alcohol syndrome.
^†definitions of significant or high risk exposure vary between publications: CDC guidelines define significant as exposure to 7+ standard drinks per week, or 3 or more drinks on multiple occasions, or both.
^‡Characteristic FAS facial anomalies - smooth philtrum, thin vermillion border and small palpebral fissures.
‘-‘ not included.
^*There is some overlap between criteria listed due to slight variations in content.

ISSN: 1471-2431