These data demonstrate differential behavioral and neuropsychological outcomes resulting from concomitant heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and ADHD. Although, as evidenced in our sample, alcohol-affected children are more likely to have ADHD than the general population (Fryer, et al., 2007; Landgren, et al., 2010; Rasmussen, et al., 2010), there was no evidence of exacerbated cognitive deficits for alcohol-exposed children with ADHD compared to those without ADHD as seen in previous studies of behavior ratings. Therefore, this study supports the current methodological standard of combining AE+ and AE− into one alcohol-exposed group regardless of ADHD status. Results further indicate that cognitive findings from the last several decades of research in heavy prenatal alcohol exposure apply to children across the spectrum of FASD, regardless of concomitant ADHD.
