Colorado Responds to Children with Special Needs (CRCSN)

Reporting Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Colorado Responds to Children with Special Needs (CRCSN), the public health birth defects monitoring and prevention program, is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and four other states to determine the prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). In order to be successful, we need information about all cases of suspected or confirmed FAS in young children.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a common cause of mental retardation and may account for as much as eleven percent of residential care for mental retardation in the United States. Other alcohol-related birth and neuro-developmental defects can result in lifelong physical, behavioral and cognitive abnormalities. In order to plan for services and evaluate the effectiveness of prevention efforts, we need to determine the true scope of this condition.

The Colorado Board of Health requires physicians and other health care providers to report all suspected cases of FAS in children up to age 7 years.

To report a suspected case of FAS, or if you would like more information, call: April Montgomery at (303) 692-2620

Thank you for your help in our efforts to improve the health of Colorado's children.

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