Adaptive function is the ability to meet developmentally appropriate expectations of personal independence and social responsibility, including performance of everyday tasks, and adapt to changes in the environment.33 Adaptive behavior is affected in both FASD and ADHD. Using the Vinelands Adaptive Behavior Scale, three groups were compared, ie, children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure, children with ADHD, and normally developing children. Children with prenatal alcohol exposure and children with ADHD had significantly lower scores on the communication domain than controls and, in the prenatal alcohol exposure group, age was negatively associated with score. Children in the prenatal alcohol exposure and ADHD groups had significantly lower scores on daily living skills, but the prenatal alcohol exposure group had significantly lower scores than the ADHD group. Children in the prenatal alcohol exposure and ADHD groups had significantly lower scores on socialization, but did not differ from each other. Again, age was negatively associated with the scores in the prenatal alcohol exposure group. Within the FASD group, children scored best in daily living skills and scored worst on socialization and communication domains. They
