Dr. John Murphy:

The question is whether the agents have been taken during the pregnancy and whether there is an association with a child having a problem. What we need to do is exclude any underlying cause that may affect the child's health by a series of tests. Then we need to make a reasonable assumption based on that and either genetic testing or chromosome analysis such as microarray or other modern tests. Finally, we need to establish whether the pattern fits. The type of physical anomalies that these children have are key points. The shape of the forehead is one such anomaly and there are others issues that parents would be aware of as well. The idea is that we could put together a reasonable picture of what happened and whether a relationship really does exist. That would be helpful to families who have a child with a problem. They need an explanation - an explanation is so important. From there on, we could work towards what is best to maximise the child's potential and well-being. That is the way forward. We identify the problems and often treat them in the newborn period. The key to making the final link is a geneticist opinion.