Can drugs affect child development?
Parental drug use during pregnancy can result in birth defects, attachment problems and drug-affected newborns. These are major health issues that can shorten children’s lifespan and the ability to learn and function. Substance abuse’s impact on children is severe and often irreversible.
How do drugs affect a baby’s brain?
For instance, babies who are exposed to cocaine have a tendency to have smaller heads that indicate a lower IQ. Cocaine-exposed babies have a higher risk of birth defects that impact the urinary tract or heart. Cocaine may also cause a stroke in an unborn fetus, resulting in brain damage or even death.
How long do drugs stay in baby’s urine?
These tests detect recent use of cocaine and its metabolites, amphetamines, marijuana, barbiturates, and opiates. Cocaine can be detected in urine 6-8 hours after use in the mother and as long as 48-72 hours after use in the newborn.
What are the long term effects of drug babies?
Long-Term Effects of Drug-Addicted Babies. A number of pregnant women who take illegal drugs also use legal drugs, such as tobacco and alcohol. All these drugs cross the placenta and can affect the fetus prenatally, causing withdrawal symptoms at birth. Many of the children born also have long-term effects from maternal drug use in pregnancy.
What effects does methadone have on an infant?
increase in infants’ risk of being born preterm
What are the affect on unborn child when taking drugs?
Stunted Emotional Development. Because drug addicted parents are often unpredictable,children with drug addicted parents don’t feel safe in their homes.
What are the effects of drugs and alcohol on an unborn child?
Alcohol can have detrimental effects on your developing baby. A fetus can’t process alcohol the same way an adult can. The alcohol is more concentrated in a fetus and can prevent sufficient amounts of nutrients and oxygen from reaching their vital organs.