Prenatal alcohol exposure and childhood balance ability: findings from a UK birth cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate the association of prenatal alcohol exposure with balance in10-year-old children.

Design

Population-based prospective longitudinal study.

Setting

Former Avon region of UK (Southwest England).

Participants

6915 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children who had a balance assessment at age 10 and had data on maternal alcohol consumption.

Outcome measures

3 composite balance scores: dynamic balance (beam-walking), static balance eyes open, static balance eyes closed (heel-to-toe balance on a beam and standing on one leg, eyes open or closed).

Results

Most mothers (95.5%) consumed no-to-moderate amounts (3-7 glasses/week) of alcohol during pregnancy. Higher total-alcohol consumption was associated with m

SUBMITTER: Humphriss R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3686236 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature