YOU'RE WATCHING MINNESOTA'S
MOST-WATCHED STATION, THIS IS
WCCO 4 NEWS.
CONSIDERED THE MOST SERIOUS
SUBSTANCE TO UNBORN BABIES,
DOCTORS ARE ONLY BEGINNING TO
UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS THAT
DRINKING ALCOHOL WHILE PREGNANT
WILL LEAD TO, BUT BREAKTHROUGHS
HERE WILL MAKE SURE KIDS CAN
FACE BRIGHTER FUTURES.
WE LIKE TO REITERATE THAT
THERE IS NOT A SAFE PERIOD FOR
ANY ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION DURING
PREGNANCY. Reporter:
PROFESSOR JEFF WOZNIAK AND
OTHERS HAVE DEDICATED A DECADE
TO HELP KIDS WITH ALCOHOL FETAL
SPECTRUM DISORDERS.
AN IMPORTANT STEP,
DEMONSTRATING THAT WE CAN ALTER
THE TRAJECTORY OF BRAIN
DEVELOPMENT.
Reporter: IN A MEDICAL
JOURNAL, IT POINTS TO PROMISE.
2-5 PRENATALLY EXPOSED TO
ALCOHOL STARTED DRINKING
NUTRIENT CALLED CHOLINE.
THEY BROUGHT THEM BACK TO
COMPARE THOSE DRINKING CHOLINE
WITH A PLACEBO.
WHEN WE LOOKED FURTHER OUT
AT THE FOUR YEARS, DIFFERENCES
THAT ARE MORE PRONOUNCED AND
NOTICEABLE.
Reporter: COGNITIVE TESTS
PROVE THAT THOSE TAKING COALING
HAD IMPROVEMENTS IN MEMORY,
CONCENTRATION AND PROBLEM
SOLVING.
IT IS VALIDATING TO SEE THAT
WHAT WE PREDICTED WOULD HAPPEN
OF THE LONG-TERM DOES SEEM TO
BE HAPPENING.
THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP IN
DEMONSTRATING THAT A
DEVELOPMENTAL INTERVENTION CAN
BE POWERFUL. Reporter: IT IS
BELIEVED TO BE MORE COMMON THAN
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS, AS
MANY AS ONE IN 20 FIRST GRADERS
HAVE THE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS IT
CAUSES.
EVEN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF A
PREGNANCY IS ENOUGH IF YOU'RE
DRINKING.
HE SAYS HIS SOLUTION MAY BE
CONSIDERED FOR WIDESPREAD USE.
CHANGING SOMETHING SMALL
EARLY ON CAN HAVE SIGNIFICANT
EFFECTS LATER ON. THE TEAM
HOPES THAT FEDERAL FUNDING WILL
COME THROUGH, ALLOWING THEM TO
