Authors:
O'Leary CM, Taylor C, Zubrick SR, Kurinczuk JJ, Bower C
Authors notes:
Pediatrics. 2013;132(2):e468-e475
Keywords:
Alcohol-related disorders, Educational outcomes, Epidemiology, Pregnancy, Prenatal alcohol exposure
Abstract:
This study examines the relationships between the dose, pattern, and timing of prenatal alcohol exposure and achievement in reading, writing, spelling, and numeracy in children aged 8 to 9 years.
Children were twice as likely not to achieve the benchmark for reading after heavy prenatal alcohol exposure during the first trimester and for writing when exposed to occasional binge drinking in late pregnancy.
Lowmoderate prenatal alcohol exposure was not associated with academic underachievement.
The type of learning problems expressed depends on the dose, pattern, and timing of prenatal alcohol exposure.