Finally, there is a stand-alone diagnostic code to allow clinical tracking and epidemiologic surveillance of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)—the most pervasive and preventable neurodevelopmental condition. We were pleased that DSM-5 introduced neurodevelopmental disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (ND-PAE) in the category “Specified Other Neurodevelopmental Disorder” (315.8). Strong insights from our 40 collective years of clinical and forensic experience—from outpatient solo practice to behind the bars of death row—support such a paradigm shift.

http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2013.11a18