Experience with crack babies?

[perla75]

I hope that title did not come off as insulting....

I was wondering if anyone on here has personal or professional experience or just general knowledge about children born from maternal cocaine use (while the mother was pregnant)?

I have a student at work who I just found out has this background and we are trying to figure the student out, understand the long term symptoms, get info on educational, medical, etc treatments and interventions....

This is very limited info on the internet about this & I was wondering if anyone has any info or experience to offer?

Thank you!

 

[LuvOrlando]

I would think that a city based children's hospital might have useful resources for you, such a CHOP. Other places to try might be a library or even a Professor in a local University that teaches early childhood education where this would definitely come up. I remember when Crack first made its way on the scene in the 1980's,back then info on Crack babies was everywhere. If I remember correctly, most of the trouble is derived from the drug scrambling the child's nervous system in utero so they are born unusually sensitive to stimulus and easily agitated. After all, these children were born as addicts

 

[dakcp2001]

In the hosptial we call them "NAS" babies, Neonatal Abstinece Syndrome, it is basically a group of symptoms the addicted babies exhibit while withdrawing from the drugs. Call a pediatrics or maternity nurse, they will have a lot of info. How old is the child now?

 

[barkley]

dh and i both worked for social services in regions where this was a problem. i recall that for foster care placements our agencies preferred to use foster parents who had experience working with these kids because their needs were very unique, and since it was an increasing issue i suspect social welfare and teaching programs have upped their training in the subject.

you might try contacting the schools of social work and education (teaching) at universities in regions where this is an issue-you could look to their websites and find out the phone number for those departments and then ask who might teach about this in their courses-then speak to the individual instructors (or the advisor for that department) and see if they have materials they might be willing to send you, or could tell you what if any books they reccommend on the subject (if it's a text book and you don't live near a college that carries it, most university book stores now let you order books on-line).

for the region we worked in i'de suggest looking to:

UC BERKELEY
UCSF (SAN FRANCISCO)
SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY
SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY (ROHNERT PARK CA)
SAC STATE (SACRAMENTO CA).

 

[perla75]

Thank you both for your info so far. The child is 6 years old. The child also has a diagnosis of autism, but I'm not so sure if this child was diagnosed correctly with autism, as I am an autism specialist and this child just does not seem to fit the bill.

The child is EXTREMELY hyper-to the point where it is clear the child has no control over their actions and de-escalation is a huge issue. Very rapid mood swings, OCD type behavior and tends to perseverate on small changes. The child also has pretty intensive sensory issues and is extremely distractable.

This child is very bright, academically and seems to pick up on social rules and social cues just fine. The child is very interested in the other friends in the class and, when calm, plays very well with them.

This child is adopted and the mother just revealed the history of cocaine abuse with the natural mother yesterday at a meeting. I can see why the doctor gave this child an autism diagnosis, but I do believe that the concerning characteristics we are seeing and due to the maternal cocaine use. The child may also have autism, but I think there is more going on that is impacting this child.

We really want to help this child and behavioral & sensory interventions do not seem to be enough. As mentioned, this child is extremely bright, but the extreme hyperactivity, uncontrollable mood swings, and distractibility inhibit learning.

I'm wondering if medication would help this child or if other interventions would help. I'm also wondering if other children who are born from maternal cocaine use exhibit these characteristics.

 

[perla75]

dh and i both worked for social services in regions where this was a problem. i recall that for foster care placements our agencies preferred to use foster parents who had experience working with these kids because their needs were very unique, and since it was an increasing issue i suspect social welfare and teaching programs have upped their training in the subject.

you might try contacting the schools of social work and education (teaching) at universities in regions where this is an issue-you could look to their websites and find out the phone number for those departments and then ask who might teach about this in their courses-then speak to the individual instructors (or the advisor for that department) and see if they have materials they might be willing to send you, or could tell you what if any books they reccommend on the subject (if it's a text book and you don't live near a college that carries it, most university book stores now let you order books on-line).

for the region we worked in i'de suggest looking to:

UC BERKELEY
UCSF (SAN FRANCISCO)
SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY
SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY (ROHNERT PARK CA)
SAC STATE (SACRAMENTO CA).

Great idea! I will do this!

 

[alizesmom]

Have you considered FASD? The child could have this even if you haven't been given a history of alcohol use and doesn't have to have the "characteristic" facies.