Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and ADHD

Women Should Be Advised Not To Drink Alcohol In Pregnancy - Even in low quantities, Alcohold can cause ADHD-like symptoms in children.

While the UK Department of Health advises that women can safely drink one or two units of alcohol per week, a team of psychiatrists in London highlight several studies which cast doubt on the guidance.

The authors looked at reports into foetal alcohol syndrome, a condition developed by some babies exposed to alcohol in the womb, resulting in stunted growth, facial abnormalities and neurocognitive deficits (brain disorders). An overarching foetal alcohol spectrum disorder - traceable to the pregnant mother's alcohol consumption say the authors - has also been identified.

Both the syndrome and disorder cause a wide range of behavioural disorders, they argue, including hyperactivity, problems with mental organisation, and difficulties in understanding the consequences of one's behaviour. Symptoms may also overlap with conditions such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).