Physical and neurodevelopmental evaluation of children adopted from Eastern Europe.

Background: Children adopted from Eastern Europe are at risk of prenatal alcohol exposure, consequently at risk of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). To our knowledge, a systematic complete assessment of these disabilities among adoptees from Eastern Europe has not yet been reported.

Objective: To assess physical and neurodevelopmental status to identify FASD in children adopted from Eastern Europe.

Methods: Cross sectional study at International Adoption Clinic of a paediatric academic hospital. This evaluation was realized according to the 4-Digit Diagnostic Code (4-DDC).

Results: Twenty-nine children were evaluated. Five years after adoption, 7% (N=2) still presented growth delay and 24% (N=7) microcephaly. Facial evaluation demonstrated moderate Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) features in 7% (N=2) of children. Amiel-Tison Neurological Assessment was non optimal in 46% (N=13/28) of children. Visual-motor perception skills were mainly normal, but 14% (N=4) showed distal somatopraxic problems. Cognition, executive functioning, abstract reasoning and memory were normal. Full scale IQ was 105.5 +/- 13.3; verbal IQ < performance IQ (p<0.005), work memory < short memory (p<0.0001), receptive

Conclusions: In our cohort, the 4-DDC was useful. Systematic and multidisciplinary neurodevelopmental assessment is needed in these adopted children, for an early intervention to prevent secondary disabilities and therefore optimize children's outcome.