Developmental disability syndromes that are preventable

Few developmental disability disorders are entirely preventable. Those that can be minimised include:

• fetal alcohol spectrum disorder—see Prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure
• fragile X syndrome—risk of transmission can be minimised with reproductive counselling for carriers of the fragile X full mutation or premutation; see Pattern of inheritance.

See also Genetic testing for developmental disability.

For advice on prenatal and preconception testing, see the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) pre-pregnancy genetic carrier screening guidelines.

Social determinants of health (eg prenatal alcohol exposure) also greatly influence brain development and potential disability before and after birth, and effects can be compounded over a lifetime; see Abuse, trauma and supporting people with developmental disability. See also trauma-informed care for strategies to minimise the effects of cumulative healthcare-related and developmental trauma in people with developmental disability.