Stimulants, neuroleptics, and children's friendship training for children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
BACKGROUND
Peer relationship problems are a significant part of the clinical presentation of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Many of these children have been prescribed psychotropic medications by community practitioners. The present study reports on the interaction between medication status and parent and teacher-reported outcomes for parent-assisted Children's Friendship Training (CFT).


METHODS
Seventy seven children (40 boys and 37 girls, age range was 71-139 months) diagnosed with FASD were given 12 sessions of CFT. Parent- and teacher-reported social outcomes were compared across four subgroups of children who were prescribed either stimulant or neuroleptic medication, neither or both types of medications.


RESULTS
According to parent and teacher reports, children prescribed neuroleptic medication showed greater improvement on all outcome measures when compared to children not prescribed neuroleptics. In contrast, children prescribed stimulant medication either failed to show improvement or showed poorer outcomes when compared to children not prescribed stimulants.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with FASD frequently present with symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity. The present results suggest physicians routinely ask about prenatal alcohol exposure as part of history taking to treat children more effectively who appear to be displaying attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomatology but who may have FASD.
Frankel
Fred
F
UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA. ffrankel@mednet.ucla.edu
Paley
Blair
B
Marquardt
Renee
R
O'Connor
Mary
M
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011247:Pregnancy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012574:Schools; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants