title: Children adopted from Poland display a high risk of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders and some may go undiagnosed.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Children adopted from Central and Eastern Europe have often had negative early experiences, including prenatal exposure to alcohol. We examined a group of Polish children, adopted by Dutch parents, to see how many were diagnosed with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and to what extent features of FASD were present.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 121 children, aged between 6 and 17 years, were adopted from Poland at a mean age of 3 years (standard deviation 1.6 years). Their parents answered a questionnaire regarding FASD diagnosis, growth, educational attainment and the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three groups were identified: children with an FASD diagnosis (31%), children whose adoptive parents suspected FASD (21%) and children whose adoptive parents did not suspect FASD (49%). Growth deficiency, enrolment in special education and difficulties with executive functioning were most frequently observed in children diagnosed with FASD. However, features of FASD were also observed in the other two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children adopted from Poland showed a high risk of FASD and some children may go undiagnosed. Adoptive parents and professionals need to be aware of the potential consequences of prenatal exposure to alcohol.
authors.affiliation: Utrecht Centre for Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knuiman
authors.forename: Catharina H A M
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Rijk
authors.forename: René A C
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hoksbergen
authors.forename: Anneloes L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: van Baar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000300:Adoption / Q000208:ethnology*; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000208:ethnology
keywords: Adoption; Executive functioning; Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders; Poland; Prenatal alcohol exposure