Research on the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on language skills has been mixed. Case reports suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with speech and language disturbances, ranging from an absence of comprehensible speech to mild dysarthria or lisping (Abel, 1990). Furthermore, indications of maternal problem drinking may be related to poor receptive language functioning (Russell, Czarnecki, Cowan, McPherson, & Mudar, 1991). Retrospective group studies of language functioning in this population also have revealed language deficits. Impairments include word comprehension (Conry, 1990; LaDue, Streissguth, & Randels, 1992; Mattson, et al., 1998), naming ability (Mattson, et al., 1998), articulation (Becker, Warr-Leeper, & Leeper, 1990), grammatical and semantic abilities (Becker, et al., 1990), pragmatics (Abkarian, 1992), and expressive and receptive skills (Aragon, Coriale, et al., 2008; Carney & Chermak, 1991; Janzen, Nanson, & Block, 1995; McGee, Bjorkquist, Riley, & Mattson, 2009). Population studies with individuals in South Africa and Italy further reveal that exposed individuals have impaired grammar comprehension skills (Kodituwakku, Coriale, et al., 2006).
