By Michelle Costa, Local News 8 Reporter

POCATELLO -Did you know there's research suggesting a link between prenatal exposure to alcohol and its dangerous effects on children and in schools?

An author, educator and founder of Healthy Brains for Children stopped by Pocatello to discuss this notion.

The former Gate City resident, Jody Allen Crowe, wrote The Fatal Link: The Connection Between School Shooters and Brain Damage from Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol.

While it took two years for Crowe to piece together his book, The Fatal Link, describing his experiences and research, it took only minutes to share it with others.

His spark to learn more on prenatal exposure began four years ago.

"I literally have talked to school shooters mothers and she's told me about her drinking problems during pregnancy,” said Jody Allen Crowe, Author, The Fatal Link.

Crowe believes around 25% of kids are prenatally exposed to alcohol before the mother knows she's pregnant.

"The scary part is that the fetus is very small at that point in time and it doesn't take much alcohol to do damage. A baby that's been exposed to alcohol will literally have a smaller brain because there are fewer brain cells. Those brains do not think the same way a normal brain does,” said Crowe.

With that come problems in school and at home.

"The child may look absolutely normal until they are in school and they're struggling with school, their math and their behaviors,” said Crowe.

That prenatal exposure element is being seen more often in the courts and they're expecting that number to continue to rise.

"We see quite a few and they are the kids who are the repeat customers who are back again and again,” said Judge Bryan Murray, Magistrate.

"If you drink during pregnancy it causes a real negative impact on child development and so I think we're bound to see it more,” said Aaron Thompson, Attorney.

For Crowe, he thinks there are still more questions to be answered.

On Tuesday night, Crowe is presenting his findings at the Pocatello Police Department Sub-station in the Fred Meyer Plaza, 800 Yellowstone Avenue, at 7 pm.