KINGSTON, Ontario, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A simple test that measures eye movement may help to identify children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Canadian researchers said.
Queen's University researchers in Kingston, Ontario, said that currently there is no objective diagnostic tools that can be used to distinguish between children with FASD and those with other developmental disorders, such as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
"Having a set of tests that can be used as diagnostic tools for fetal alcohol syndrome and all of the other behavioral disorders classified under the broader term fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is tremendously valuable," said Dr. James Reynolds.
In a pilot study involving 25 girls and boys aged 8 to 12, the Queen's team found that children with FASD have specific brain abnormalities which can be measured with eye movement testing. FASD is associated with hyperactivity, difficulty in learning and deficits in memory, understanding and reasoning, as well as problems dealing with stressful situations.
The findings will presented next week in Washington at the annual meeting of the International Society for Neuroscience.
