A Novel Screening Test for the Behavioral Phenotype of FASD
Channel: Children's Healthcare Canada
Date: 2013-04-19

The NST is a simple pen and paper questionnaire, which is based on 10 individual items representing common areas of parent reported behavioural concerns in children with FASD.  It is intended to be used as a brief screening instrument as part of a diagnostic interview conducted by a psychologist, in a variety of settings. Scores from the NST are able to statistically differentiate children with a suspected FASD from typically developing children, children with ADHD, and children with ODD/CD.  The presentation will focus on NST research to date, as well describe how the tool may be used in a clinical setting through a case vignette.

Presenter Bios:

Dr. Gideon Koren is the founder and director of the Motherisk Program and a professor of Pediatrics, pharmacology, pharmacy and medicine. He is a staff pediatrician at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and the author/co-author of hundreds of scientific articles, book chapters and abstracts. He is a member of numerous professional societies. In 1999 he received the Irving Sunshine Award (awarded by the International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring & Clinical Toxicology), and in 1997 he received the prestigious Rawls-Palmer Award. Both awards were for outstanding contributions to clinical toxicology. In March 2000 Dr. Koren received the Medical Research Council of Canada's Senior Scientist award for his work in Population Health Sciences, and in September 2003 he was awarded the Pippenger Award for outstanding achievement by the International Association for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology. Dr. Koren is founder of the FACE (Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise) Network and the peer reviewed Journal of FAS International. In 2004 Dr. Koren was appointed as the Ivey Chair in Molecular Toxicology at the University of Western Ontario. He is creating a Canadian Network of Human Toxicology.

Carmen Rasmussen, PhD in Developmental Psychology, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta and a Research Affiliate at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, in Edmonton, Alberta. She researches neurobehavioral functioning in children with FASD.

Dr. Kelly Nash is currently working as a psychologist in supervised practice at McMaster Children's Hospital, in the Child and Youth Mental Health Outpatient Program. Alongside her clinical practice, Dr. Nash continues her research into understanding the neurobehavioural phenotype in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), with a particular interest in improving and developing diagnostic and intervention strategies. Her doctoral research focused on evaluating the behavioural and neuroplastic outcomes following self-regulation therapy for children with FASD.