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

Table 3 Recommended Australian criteria for referral and their correspondence with published criteria

Recommended Australian criteria for referral		Equivalent Criteria
	Chudley [12]	Loock [29]	CDC [14]	Astley [15]
1. Confirmed significant^† prenatal alcohol exposure	Yes	Yes	Yes	-
2. 3 Characteristic FAS facial anomalies^‡	Yes	-^#	Yes	Yes
3. 1 Facial anomaly^‡ and growth deficit and 1 or more CNS abnormalities	-	Yes	Yes	-
4. Microcephaly and any confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure	-	Yes^*	-	-
5. 2 or more CNS abnormalities and any confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure	-	Yes^*	-	-

CDC – United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for referral for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
CNS – central nervous system.
^†significant exposure was defined as exposure to: 7+ standard drinks per week, or 5+ standard drinks on any one occasion.
^‡Characteristic FAS facial anomalies - smooth philtrum, thin vermillion border and small palpebral fissures.
^#guideline also requires evidence of significant prenatal exposure to alcohol.
^*equivalent original criteria includes CNS deficits and known or probable significant PAE [29].

ISSN: 1471-2431