Alcohol Consumption In Pregnancy Affects Child Behavior

A new study has revealed that mums-to-be who consume high levels of alcohol in late pregnancy are likely to give birth to aggressive kids.

The research team from Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research suggests that the amount and timing of alcohol consumption in pregnancy affects child behavior in different ways.

Hot to Reduce Hostile Perceptions in Children With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
A social- skills intervention called Children's Friendship Training can lead to a decrease in hostile attributions or perceptions of children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE)

"Mothers who reported what we would classify as heavy drinking in the first trimester of pregnancy were nearly three times as likely to report that their child suffered with anxiety and/or depression or somatic complaints," said lead author Colleen O'Leary.

"Those who drank moderately during that first trimester were twice as likely to report those types of behavioral issues for their child.

"Exposure to moderate or heavy levels of alcohol in late pregnancy increased the risk of aggressive types of behaviors in the child.

Examining Mathematical Abilities in Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
A new study has confirmed that the left parietal area is important for mathematical abilities in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

"This research suggests that both the timing and the intensity of alcohol exposure in the womb affect the type of behavior problems expressed," she added.

The researchers classified moderate exposure as drinking 3-4 standard drinks per occasion, that's about two normal glasses of wine-and no more than a bottle of wine drunk over a week.

Caffeine Added Alcohol Drinks To Be Banned In US
According to reports, the US Food and Drug Administration has announced that drinks, which contain a combination of alcohol and caffeine, will be banned within months if proven to be unsafe.

Heavy drinking included women who were drinking the equivalent of more than a bottle of wine per week.

O'Leary said health professionals can assist by talking to women of child bearing age about their alcohol consumption and encouraging pregnant women and women planning a pregnancy to abstain from alcohol.

The study is published online in the international journal Addiction.

Source-ANI
ARU