Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and health professionals’ awareness of the syndrome: A comparison of practitioners’ knowledge in two french regions
Archives de Pédiatrie. 2025-02-01; :
DOI: 10.1016/j.arcped.2024.11.008
Lire sur PubMed
1. Arch Pediatr. 2025 Feb 22:S0929-693X(25)00022-3. doi:
10.1016/j.arcped.2024.11.008. Online ahead of print.
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and health professionals’ awareness of the
syndrome: A comparison of practitioners’ knowledge in two french regions.
Daoudi S(1), Spodenkiewicz M(2), Robin S(3), Rébola M(4), Castera P(5), Von
Theobald P(6), Husson M(1), Doray B(7), Villéga F(8).
Author information:
(1)Child and adolescent neurology unit, Bordeaux CHU, CIC-P 1401, place Amélie
Raba-Léon 33060 Bordeaux, France.
(2)Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reunion CHU, 97 Av. du
Président Mitterrand, Saint Pierre de La Réunion, France.
(3)Pediatric department, Reunion CHU, Hôpital Félix Guyon, Allée des Topazes
97400 SAINT-DENIS de la Reunion, France.
(4)Neonatal unit, Bordeaux CHU, place Amélie Raba-Léon 33060 Bordeaux, France.
(5)Coordination régionale addictions Nouvelle-Aquitaine Bordeaux, France.
(6)Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospital Felix Guyon, CHU La
Reunion, France.
(7)Genetics department, Reunion CHU, Hôpital Félix Guyon, Allée des Topazes
97400 Saint-Denis de la Reunion, France.
(8)Child and adolescent neurology unit, Bordeaux CHU, CIC-P 1401, place Amélie
Raba-Léon 33060 Bordeaux, France. Electronic address:
.
BACKGROUND: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the leading cause of
non-genetic intellectual disabilities. Many healthcare professionals in France
have benefited from initial and continuing training programs on this public
health theme. The objective of our study is to describe and compare knowledge of
FASD among health professionals in two different french regions with a health
prevention and information system (Indian Ocean (IO)) or without
(Nouvelle-Aquitaine (NA)).
METHODS AND SETTINGS: A free and anonymous electronic survey related to
perinatality, childhood and adolescence was sent by email or social networks to
various health professionals in the IO and NA regions. Responses were analyzed
by comparing the function and affiliation of healthcare professionals to each
region.
RESULTS: We obtained 193 replies from the IO and 265 replies from NA. On the one
hand, 79 % of healthcare professionals reported receiving training on FASD, and
most of them were aware that there is no threshold of maternal alcohol intake
without risk to the fetus. It appears that 91 % of them are aware of the
cognitive-behavioral disorders associated with the diagnosis of FASD. On the
other hand, barely 19 % were aware that maternal age is a risk factor, and only
39 % had knowledge of the three cardinal signs of FAS dysmorphia. Only 30 %
described a neurological anomaly related to the diagnosis. Regarding
alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders, 30 % wrongly believed that growth
retardation and facial dysmorphia were necessary for diagnosis. Data analysis
reveals more variability in inter-professional knowledge in the region without a
platform. While there is no direct significant difference between regions
regarding knowledge of the FASD, among the NA respondents, only 32 % reported
that paternal alcohol consumption was a risk factor, whereas 51 % of the IO
respondents were already aware of it.
CONCLUSION: This study points out the heterogeneity of healthcare professionals’
knowledge of FASD within each region. It highlights the challenge of informing,
training and orienting mothers and their children in an appropriate manner. The
establishment of diagnostic platforms seems essential to provide early,
optimised and adapted care in response to this particular public health problem.
Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.
DOI: 10.1016/j.arcped.2024.11.008
PMID: 39988544
Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest None.