Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Ireland

Abstract

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is one of the most common yet under-recognised preventable neurodevelopmental conditions in Ireland. A 2017 JAMA Pediatrics study ranked Ireland as having the third highest global prevalence of FASD. In the same year, our national survey found that many paediatricians and trainees were unaware of the full spectrum of this condition. Despite these warnings, little progress has been made in the last decade.

Timely diagnosis is critical for improving outcomes and providing appropriate early support. However, diagnostic services for FASD remain limited globally, and in Ireland, the absence of a national framework has created further barriers to early recognition and intervention. People living with FASD are at a far greater risk of experiencing difficulties with their mental health, substance misuse, and involvement with the criminal justice system3. International evidence suggests that individuals with the most severe forms of FASD often have a life expectancy in their 30s, with suicide being a leading cause of premature death.