The Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Its Impact on a Child’s Classroom Performance: A Case Study of a Rural South African School

Lubbe, Melissa; Van Walbeek, Corné; Vellios, Nicole

doi:10.3390/ijerph14080896

Open AccessArticle

The Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Its Impact on a Child’s Classroom Performance: A Case Study of a Rural South African School

by

Melissa Lubbe

¹,

Corné Van Walbeek

^1,2 and

Nicole Vellios

^2,*

¹

School of Economics, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa

²

Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(8), 896; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14080896

Submission received: 16 June 2017 / Revised: 26 July 2017 / Accepted: 4 August 2017 / Published: 9 August 2017

(This article belongs to the Section Health Behavior, Chronic Disease and Health Promotion)

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Abstract

Alcohol consumption is high among farm labourers in the Western and Northern Cape of South Africa. Excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy is common, resulting in a high prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) among children. FAS causes intellectual and behavioural problems, which create considerable obstacles to a child’s education. The aim of this study is to provide a prevalence estimate of FAS in a rural school and to examine the effects of FAS on learners’ educational outcomes. The study was conducted at a farm school near Clanwilliam in theWestern Cape of South Africa. The sample comprises 166 learners from Grades 1 to 4. Educational outcomes include class scores (Afrikaans home language and mathematics), reading ability, and classroom behaviour. A physician diagnosed FAS using a three-stage process. We find FAS prevalence of 127 per 1000 (12.7%). Children with FAS score significantly lower (at the 10% level) for home language and behaviour than children who do not have FAS. Large-scale interventions in rural areas of the Western and Northern Cape that specifically target females of child-bearing age, as well as children with FAS, are necessary

Keywords: fetal alcohol syndrome; alcohol; binge drinking; pregnancy; dop system

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MDPI and ACS Style

Lubbe, M.; Van Walbeek, C.; Vellios, N. The Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Its Impact on a Child’s Classroom Performance: A Case Study of a Rural South African School. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 896. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14080896

AMA Style

Lubbe M, Van Walbeek C, Vellios N. The Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Its Impact on a Child’s Classroom Performance: A Case Study of a Rural South African School. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2017; 14(8):896. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14080896

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lubbe, Melissa, Corné Van Walbeek, and Nicole Vellios. 2017. "The Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Its Impact on a Child’s Classroom Performance: A Case Study of a Rural South African School" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14, no. 8: 896. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14080896

APA Style

Lubbe, M., Van Walbeek, C., & Vellios, N. (2017). The Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Its Impact on a Child’s Classroom Performance: A Case Study of a Rural South African School. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(8), 896. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14080896

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The Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Its Impact on a Child’s Classroom Performance: A Case Study of a Rural South African School

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