Characterizing Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND): Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and the Spectrum of Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are conceptualized as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) as the most severe. Many find it more difficult to characterize behavioral and cognitive effects of exposure on the central nervous system when physical signs are not present. In the current study an operational definition of Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder is examined to determine its usefulness in discrimination of children classified as ARND based on behavior (ARND/B) and cognition (ARND/C) from children in four contrast groups, 1) Children exposed to study-defined "risky drinking"; 2) Children with any reported PAE; 3) Children classified as "Higher Risk" for developmental problems; and 4) Children classified as "Lower Risk". METHOD: 1842 children seen as part of a surveillance study (May, Chambers, et al., 2018) were evaluated for alcohol exposure, physical characteristics of FAS, and completed neurodevelopmental testing. Ninety one were identified as either ARND/B or ARND/C and contrasted with other groups to further identify distinguishing patterns. Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) was used to examine accuracy of classification and to identify factors contributing to such classification. RESULTS: Children described as ARND/C were distinct from other groups based on cognition and behavior as well as demographic factors (e.g., age, race, SES) child characteristics (e.g., gestational age; sex) and other drug exposures while those described as ARND/B differed only on behavior and other drug exposures. MLR models successfully discriminated ARND groups from children in other groups with accuracy ranging from 79% (Low Risk) to 86.7% (Higher Risk). CONCLUSIONS: ARND has been a subject of debate. This analysis suggests effects of alcohol on behavior and cognition even in the absence of the characteristic facial features and growth deficiency that can be identified. Results also indicate that it may be possible to distinguish such children from those in other high risk groups.