Overall, these outcomes support the idea that prenatal alcohol consumption impairs sustained attention and working memory which are important aspects of executive functioning in children. Physical activity appears to improve sustained attention and working memory in children with an FASD diagnosis. Interventions for FASD children should continue to look to increase the level of physical activity that FASD children participate in as its benefits may have far reading impacts in their lives.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a non-diagnostic term that covers a range of related birth defects resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure. Under this umbrella term, are several diganostic categories such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (pFAS), Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND), and Alcohol Related Birth Defects (ARBD). Compared to control children, children with FASD will display cognitive impairment in executive functioning as evidenced by results on a test of sustained attention.
