Short and Long Term Effects of Drug Exposure

I'm currnetly fostering a child that was born exposed to prescript drugs that shouldnt be taken during pregnancy as well as pot & alcohol. There were delays in crawling (possibly due to not enough tummy time) (due to GI issues from drugs) :( We werent able to provide the tummy time normal children get because the kid would have so many bouts with GI upset being on the stomach for any length of time. There were obviously GI issues associated with the drugs, lots of tears until we worked it out at 4 months :( Lots of sleepless nights because of withdrawl issues. The child is a bit "active" for a typical child this age. We've seen other delays but not severe and the child is pretty much on target at this point to most children the same age. But the beggining was ROUGH!

All of my now-adopted kids' bio mothers did drugs during pregnancy (cocaine primarily, but other drugs too) to some degree. My daughter, who is almost 3 years old now, tested positive for cocaine at birth, and had a really rough time for the first 4 months of her life. They thought she was going to be extremely delayed. But she sped up very quickly in development between 9 and 12 months old (she walked at 10 months). She also had a lot of sleep issues, tummy troubles and chronic ear infections until she was around 1. Now at almost 3 she is extremely intelligent -- ahead cognitively, and she she's very funny, compassionate and caring. She also has sensory issues and has a lot of trouble regulating her emotions (especially if her routine gets disturbed). She gets OT to help her.My other two didn't test positive at birth, but their bio moms definitely used. They are both "normal" behaviorally. They both had speech delays but have graduated from speech therapy and are now on target.

First of all, I applaud you for doing the research BEFORE you take the child. I cannot tell you how many foster/adoptive parents I have seen shaking their heads with an "aha" look during training on drug exposed children. I will not proclaim to be an expert but I have done a ton of research. And, my favorite foster care book, Nobody's Children, touches on this subject as well.Here is my impression:The early the positive intervention, the more successful the outcome with the exception of ALCOHOL. Alcohol actually does physical damage to the brain, whereas most other illicit or prescriptions drugs can cause interaction issues, and delays, but at least so far, there has been no reported long-term physical damage.Interestingly, they have found that children severely neglected from birth develop a much smaller cerebellum than those with proper emotionally involved engagements. The interesting thing about drug exposure is that it can have a range of serious effects to seemingly none, depending on when the exposure was experienced in the lifecycle of the unborn child. At the same time, the research is still on the newer side, and not fully complete. Think about this, how many children who were born exposed/addicted end up getting adopted and fall out of the "system" in regard to follow-up research. I am sure that you have read of the typical newborn of the actual withdrawal. So, you would be looking at a child who tends to be more irritable, may be too "floppy" or too stiff. They may be developmentally delayed, or on the flip side, advanced. [Interesting side note: I have read of and heard here of heroin exposed babies having "hyper" development, but I haven't been able to get any of Chubbs' doctors to confirm he has that, but anecdotally, compared to his peers, he is very hyper in his development.]They tend to have far more GI issues. Chubbs was put on Similac Sensitive for this reason and I am on strict orders to not start mile until 1 year and 1 day. Reflux, etc.The hardest thing is the CRYING. Oh my gosh the CRYING. It can be soooo hard for even the most patient of parents. To explain it is almost impossible, you have to experience it. Even my BFF, bio mom to 3, could not believe it when she experienced one of Chubbs' fits. The good news for him, he mostly outgrew that by about age 8 months. He has not had an inconsoleable fit since then. The Happiest Baby on the Block method will become your best friend!My Chubbs is having major GI issues. I haven't been able to get his last neonatal doctor to confirm it is from the drug exposure, but I have talked to enough adoptive families to say that it is. Oddly, it seems to me that the medical community is trying to back off on the relationship of medical issues with drug exposure. I don't get it. I even found a forum once of former heroin addicts who have had long term GI issues since. Give you an example: Chubbs tolerated MOST foods in puree format ok, with a few exceptions. But as soon as we started moving to "textures" the problems started. The only textured food he can tolerate is bananas, cheerios, and sweet potatoes. He can handle diced ham and turkey too. Anything else, after 2-3 days, his system gets so upset that he literrally gets the big D with chemical burns on his behind. Interestingly, a few people indicated that this could be from teething. Well, we knew it wasn't (me and his teachers) because of the timing. But, just this week he started teething (getting #6 and #8) and i saw the rash from the drool. NOT the same issue, but at least I have a comparison now for the GI doctor on the 27th. I am fairly certain his issues stem from the drug exposure and I am hoping the GI doctor gets it. Other common issues are speech issues, sensory issues, and writing issues, once they start school. All that said (you'll find I tend to be wordy) most of the anecdotal evidence suggests that with the right early interventions, these children can have as normal of a life as any other kid. They are at a slight increase risk as adults with things like understanding/handling a budget, and of course they are at higher risk for drug abuse,

As TemporaryMom said the effects, both short and long-term can vary. I only have experience with a baby exposed to meth. The main effect was her inability to "suckle", so it would take about an hour for her to drink 2 ounces of formula. So she would burn the calories while she fed, which caused the second short-term effect, lack of weight gain. She also had difficulty regulating her body temperature, and severe leg tremors. She was also very sensitive to bright light and loud noises. But by using smaller bottles, special formula, keeping her swaddled tightly, keeping the lights low, and her world very small, we got through those first few months. She is 3 now, and our DD. She is a happy, sweet natured little girl, and developmentally on target. Who knows what the future will bring, but we wouldn't have it any other way. Best wishes in your journey. :hippie:

There is an all day class that you can take. In my are it's called "My drug affected infant is growing up now what?" There is also a class for alcohol. In the drug class they say that alcohol is worse.

I had a baby who's mother was addicted to prescription meds. Only she got hers off the street. He tested positive, but didn't seem to have any lasting effects. I think it comparible to brain injury. Every case is different and you never know how to predict the long term, just know how it could go.

That is right on. I meant to add to my post and forgot. When I was finishing my final subsidy "negotiation" (after-the-fact) the subsidy worker was telling me that she had a little girl who was just two months behind Chubbs but otherwise, very similar case, full-term, addicted to H, but only in hospital for 1 week, and she had major delays, where as Chubbs has no noted developmental delays (although his GI issue is still up for argument.) So, you just never know. Likewise, that baby girl could turn 2 and be caught up and have no other issues, and Chubbs could turn 2 and start having major issues. I try to do as much as I can with him now to hope it helps us not have major issues later. Early Intervention services and support after adoption are key to these children.

I was interested in this topic too! Thanks for posting!

I agree, it's definitely a gamble. However, I think most kids do ok, except for those with extreme exposure and with alcohol. We adopted 2 babies when they were released from the hospital at 4 weeks old from being born early. The one who was mostly exposed to prescription drugs (bmom abused them, not just used them for legitimate purposes), actually has more issues than the baby that was exposed to meth and THC. He has never slept through the night, except is now starting to about 50% of the time at almost 4 years old. He's on target developmentally, but is so active and easily distracted that we have to work very hard to get him to complete a task...it's just constant reminding and explaining and showing him how to do things. He does get OT twice a week, and I think some of his sleep issues and even his "sensory issues" have more to do with emotional trauma he experienced during a brief RU with bmom, where he had bad experiences and also had his attachment disrupted with us, then a lot of back and forth with long visits after he came back into care. So I don't know how much is drug exposure and how much is just emotional trauma from the long lasting case. Our other son, exposed to meth and TCH, has always slept like a dream. He does have a much worse temper and is much more easily angered than any 2-3 year old I've seen, but he is also incredibly sweet and intelligent. He is different from our first, in that he has tremendous concentration and will sit and work on something or play in a very organized way for literally hours without getting distracted. For me, it helps to just have faith that we will get who we are supposed to have and who needs us the most. It's not easy, but I think any kid whether foster or a birth child of our own can have any kind of problem. My sister's birth daughter has so many behavioral and sensory issues, way beyond all three of our adopted kids combined. I think life is a gamble in general. lol

We have fostered and adopted drug exposed kids. A few thoughts: 1. EVERY foster child you take in will have special needs. If it isn't drug exposure, it will be sexual abuse,or emotional issues, extreme trauma, developmental delays, fears, social retardedness (if that's even a word!) 2. No one knows what drugs do what damage, if it's permanent, ect. and therefore, you can only guess. 3. Same as any other form of abuse, some kids seem to bounce back with almost no signs of trauma where others will struggle the rest of their lives. I was very nervous about drug exposure too... until I started fostering. Then my focus turned to each child as an individual. What do they need? What can I do to get them through this? Do they need outside intervention or help? Those are the questions you will be asking yourself once you are face to face with that little one. Don't worry. You can do it!!!

Great thread! I just want to add that many kids are exposed to more than one thing. It is usually a combination of drugs and sometimes drugs and alcohol together. This is where it gets exceptionally tricky, as there is just not a lot of long term research on drug effeted kids, especially when they are exposed to a variety of things or the combination isn't even known. Also, there is also the whole other issue of drug exposure once a child is born and living in that environment. My FS came right from a meth manufacturing house and OMG, that was HORRIBLE!!! I second temporary mom in the screaming comment, it is truly incredible, you just cannot explain it! But we are getting though it, yah!

I only have experience with our STBAD, Tiny J, who is 10 weeks old. She tested negative at birth, but BM tested positive for opiates, meth, and marijuana. BM's drug of choice is meth. She has been screened by Early intervention, and thus far, she is a tad behind but the skills are emerging, so she will be watched but no intervention yet. She was very small when born, though she was full term. She only weighed 4lbs 8oz when we brought her home, and she was only 16 inches long. She eats like a champ, and she has more than doubled her weight and gained almost 6 inches. She sleeps decently, too. The one thing I have had the hardest time adjusting to is the CRYING!!!! She doesn't build up to crying; she just launches full steam into a screaming, inconsolable fit. It takes a lot to calm her down. Still, she is true blessing, and I find that my love for her makes dealing with the crying bearable.

My two lovies were exposed prenatally to methamphetamine and alcohol. My three year old was exposed to neglect and domestic violence. Both children were pawned off to various friends and relatives until they were placed with us. I'm not sure how many of their issues are due to the environment and what was due to the exposure. My kids are the most loving children! They are very affectionate, sensitive and kindhearted. However, they have hair trigger tempers and very poor impulse control. My son used to have a fire engine scream when he was a baby & my daughter had diarrea poop that burned her skin and gave her horrible diaper rash. Both children have attachment issues and try to manipulate and control. They have healed a lot in the last two years, but the issues are still there.

I take exception that "drug exposure is like brain damage" While I WILL agree that every child is different but every child will show some affect from receiving drugs via the womb, ACTUAL brain damage 1. Shows actual holes or voided areas on an MRI/x-ray 2. is IRREVERSIBLE.You see, I have had 4 placements, all born positive but my AD also suffered a stroke and brain damage. She is BY FAR more affected than a child who was "only" born drug positive. My FS is 3 months younger and is well ahead of her on every level. AD just started crawling at 15 months. She still does not self feed, patty cake or "babble". She will be diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy after her next MRI.But I will agree that these kids do tend to be on the lower end of developmental curves and born small and/or premature. They are more needy as infants, AND OH YES THE CRYING!! It not just breaks your heart, it physically HURTS your ears! FS is about to walk at 14 months (slightly delayed) FD at 26 months is slightly delayed with her speech and can not jump (weak core).A lot of drug exposed babies will have "floppy" or "tight" muscle tone and will require physical therapy. I agree with the GI issues. My kids were all either on sensitive or hypoallergenic formula.I don't know about the long term effects...I just pray that all we did to help these guys get ahead works!!My FS and FD will RU soon...I wonder if/when they will ever find out that they were born positive for drugs. Sad:(Edited for spelling

DD was exposed to most things under the sun (nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, marijuana; mom had history of meth and steroids as well). By far, the riskiest one (based on all the experts involved in the case) was the alcohol. I felt we dodged a big bullet when she was 4 and seemed "ok," only to learn its a lifetime of potentially missed milestones Make sure you read up on which ever substance you are involved with. And keep in mind, having an exposed FK often means having to deal with an addict. So, do research on that as well. You'll be surprised what you can handle :D