ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Sensory processing problems are prevalent in children who have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. It is unclear to what degree these problems are distinct from attention deficits as measured during the diagnostic process in these children. PURPOSE: To understand sensory processing in these children, which may assist with early identification and intervention. METHOD: The relationship between attention and sensory processing was studied in a retrospective sample of 26 Canadian children diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. FINDINGS: A very low correlation (r = .02) between Short Sensory Profile scores and the attention deficit hyperactivity index of the Conners' Parent Rating Scales was found for the five- to ten-year-old children. Sensory processing problems were found in 81% of the children, similar to other studies of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. IMPLICATIONS: These findings can guide modifications of the environments, tasks, and approaches to children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/psychology , Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders/psychology , Perception , Attention , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Many children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) also have co-morbid ADHD. The goal of this study was to examine the impact of having a co-morbid ADHD diagnosis on FASD diagnostic results. We compared children with FASD to those with FASD and co-morbid ADHD across the neurobehavioral domains recommended by the Canadian Guidelines in the diagnosis of FASD. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 52 children, aged 4 to 17 years, diagnosed with an FASD at a hospital FASD clinic. Thirty-three of these children had a co-morbid diagnosis of ADHD and 19 did not. Children with FASD and those with FASD and co-morbid ADHD were compared on the following neurobehavioral domains: sensory/motor, cognition, communication, academic achievement, memory, executive functioning, attention, and adaptive behavior. RESULTS: Children with FASD and ADHD performed significantly worse than those without ADHD on attention but better on academic achievement. No other group differences were significant. CONCLUSIONS: Having an ADHD co-morbidity had little effect on the FASD diagnosis. The results of this project will inform the diagnostic process for FASD and have implications for standardizing diagnostic processes across clinics.
