• Albert E Chudley, Julianne Conry, Jocelynn L Cook, Christine Loock, Ted Rosales, Nicole LeBlanc, and Public Health Agency of Canada's National Advisory Committee on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
• Children's Hospital, Health Sciences Centre, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man.
• CMAJ. 2005 Mar 1; 172 (5 Suppl): S1S21S1-S21.

AbstractThe diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is complex and guidelines are warranted. A subcommittee of the Public Health Agency of Canada's National Advisory Committee on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder reviewed, analysed and integrated current approaches to diagnosis to reach agreement on a standard in Canada. The purpose of this paper is to review and clarify the use of current diagnostic systems and make recommendations on their application for diagnosis of FASD-related disabilities in people of all ages. The guidelines are based on widespread consultation of expert practitioners and partners in the field. The guidelines have been organized into 7 categories: screening and referral; the physical examination and differential diagnosis; the neurobehavioural assessment; and treatment and follow-up; maternal alcohol history in pregnancy; diagnostic criteria for fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), partial FAS and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder; and harmonization of Institute of Medicine and 4-Digit Diagnostic Code approaches. The diagnosis requires a comprehensive history and physical and neurobehavioural assessments; a multidisciplinary approach is necessary. These are the first Canadian guidelines for the diagnosis of FAS and its related disabilities, developed by broad-based consultation among experts in diagnosis.

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