Project
Improving the diagnosis of mild FAS (FASD) and ADHD: the question of syndrome specificity
Principal Investigator: Libbe Kooistra, phone: 403-943-7592; email: libbe.kooistra@calgaryhealthregion.ca
Co-investigators: Bonnie Kaplan, phone: 403-943-7465, email: bonnie.kaplan@calgaryhealthregion.ca; Dr. Margaret Clarke, email: margaret.clarke@calgaryhealthregion.ca; Janet Ronsky, email: jronsky@ucalgary.ca; Dr. Suzanne Tough, email: suzanne.tough@calgaryhealthregion.ca
Start/End Date: August 2003 – to date
Location: Alberta Children's Hospital, University of Calgary
Brief Description: Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) also referred to as Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND), are often erroneously diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). As effective treatment differs for each disorder, there is an urgent need for diagnostic specificity. The study aims at improving the differential diagnosis for ARND and ADHD in terms of basic neuropsychological functions, i.e.: attention, executive and motor functions. Children with ARND only and children with ARND and ADHD will be compared with children with ADHD inattentive type, children with ADHD hyperactive/impulsive type, children with ADHD combined type and a control group. The total sample size will be 120, i.e.: 20 children per group. Three components of attention (sustained, divided, selective) will be tested using three types of reaction time tasks: Go/GoNo tasks, Continuous Performance Task, Attention Network task. Furthermore, a balance perturbation and locomotion tasks will be used for examining the kinetics and kinematics of postural and gait control using specialized 3D movement registration equipment.
Time Frame: ongoing
Type of Project: research
Population Served: urban
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