Queenslanders are paying millions every year for missed FASD diagnosis

Undiagnosed FASD is costing Queenslanders millions every year while help remains inaccessible and unaffordable for those children who need it most, experts say.

Professor Elizabeth Elliott said FASD had a host of permanent health impact that make the condition incredibly costly if not properly diagnosed and treated. Picture: The university of Sydney.

Undiagnosed FASD is costing Queenslanders millions every year while help remains inaccessible and unaffordable for those children who need it most, experts say.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a brain injury caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy resulting in developmental impairments, social issues and medical problems.

Pediatrician and researcher from the University of Sydney Professor Elizabeth Elliott said ignoring the issue made no economic sense.

Professor Elliott said economic costings were desperately needed in Australia because “it was likely to be a very expensive condition” while the only current data coming from Canada.

Undiagnosed FASD is costing Queenslanders millions every year while help remains inaccessible and unaffordable for those children who need it most, experts say. Stock image. (AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)

In 2019, researchers estimated the cost of a missed FASD diagnosis in a similar health system as Australia’s at $2614.13 (AUD) per person annually, which would translate to about $4m per year across Queensland.

“It’s a significant economic burden because it covers so many different portfolios ... many children will be born with birth defects, which might involve a range of systems such as their heart or their kidneys and if not identified early they may cause problems,” she said.

“Most of these children have significant developmental problems with speech and language, IQ, their academic achievement, their motor skills and so these are the sort of problems that, if identified and treated early, can optimise the outcomes for that child.

“Early recognition has benefits for savings in the health, the education and the justice system and in the disability system.”

The Cairns Post launched Cause and Effect in April calling on the state government to deliver mandatory and free FASD testing for Queensland’s at-risk children, including those involved in the youth justice system and children in out-of-home care.

Last week the state government announced $37.5m over four years to identify children with developmental delays such as FASD, hearing and eyesight impairments at kindy.

Two decades ago Anne Russell travelled overseas to find answers for her two children who both have FASD but it was too late.

“They (Australian doctors) were no real help ... I thought the only way I’m going to get it sorted was I’d go over to Canada,” she said.

“I met with the world’s foremost expert on FASD at the time and I was able to get official diagnosis from the world’s expert.

“It was too late. They were both older teenagers when it happened our parenting style hadn’t changed in the most formative years.”

Cairns woman Elizabeth 'Anne' Russell has seen first hand how Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder affects children. Photo: Catherine Duffy

Traditional parenting methods don’t work for people with FASD and can be detrimental during younger years, early diagnosis allows parents to understand the conditions strengths and weaknesses and parent accordingly.

Ms Russell said early diagnosis also had a direct impact on prevention.

“If he’d (doctor) gone through and done a proper examination and talked to me, my youngest son wouldn’t have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and that’s the biggest thing,” she said.

“It’s a prevention tool, if you can get a diagnosis for the first child, you can put in supports, you can help mum stop drinking ... she can plan her next pregnancy.”

[e-mail]

Originally published as Queenslanders are paying millions every year for missed FASD diagnosis