Screening for FASD is the first step in understanding the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure.
The earlier a child gets evaluated and identified as having an FASD, the sooner the family can work together with the child’s teacher and other care providers to support the child’s health and development.
During an FASD evaluation, there are four areas that will be assessed:
Growth
Facial Features
Brain Development and Functioning
Exposure to alcohol in utero
Diagnostic terms under the FASD umbrella may include:
Fetal
Alcohol
Syndrome
(FAS)
Partial
Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome
(pFAS)
Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder
(ARND)
Alcohol Related
Birth
Defects
(ARBD)
Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE)
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends that a person with prenatal alcohol exposure be assessed by an interdisciplinary team of professionals.
The evaluation may include:
- Evaluation of the medical history, including prenatal, birth and early childhood history
- General physical examination
- Evaluation of growth patterns throughout life
- Measurement of facial features
- Psychoeducational evaluation determine learning strengths and weaknesses
- Occupational therapy evaluation to determine motor functions and sensory processing abilities
- Speech and language evaluation to determine expressive and receptive communication abilities
DIAGNOSTIC CENTERS Specializing in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in North Carolina
Mission Hospital’s Fullerton Genetics - Asheville, NC
Fullerton Genetics offers diagnostic appointments for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. The team consists of a genetic counselor and medical geneticist.
A referral from the patient’s primary care provider is required for an appointment with the FASD Clinic.
Fullerton Genetics
9 Vanderbilt Park Drive,
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 213-0022
Fax – (828) 213-0039
Atrium Health-Levine Children’s Hospital Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Clinic Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic - Charlotte, NC
The following evaluations are required prior to the patient’s initial visit.
• Neuropsychological/psychological evaluations
(with educational achievement testing if patient is a school-aged child)
• Speech-language evaluation
• Occupational therapy evaluation
A referral from the patient’s primary care provider is required for an appointment.
Yasmin Senturias
MD, FAAP Academic Division Chief, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Division | Atrium Health Levine Children;’s FASD clinic of the Carolinas
2608 E. 7th Street
Charlotte, NC 28204
(704) 403-2626
Fax – (704) 403-2699
North Carolina Clinical Genetics Centers
Please contact the genetic centers directly to see if their clinic is evaluating children for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, because not all centers provide this service.
Asheville - Fullerton Genetics Center
9 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Asheville, NC 28803 | (828) 213-0022 | FAX – (888) 810-2800 | Click to view website
Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina, Dept. of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Metabolism
University of North Carolina, CB 7487, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7250 | (919) 966-4202 | Click to view website
Durham, Duke University Medical Center, Dept of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics
P.O. Box 3528, Durham, NC 27710 | (919) 684-2036 | Click to view website
East Carolina University, School of Medicine, Dept. of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics
ECU Department of Pediatrics | 600 Moye Blvd, Greenville, NC 27834 | (252) 744-2525 | Click to view website
Wake Forest University, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Medical Genetics
Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 | (336) 713-7573 | Click to view website