The American Academy of Pediatrics recently put out information dealing with the tough subject of substance abuse among pregnant women. Two methods are used to determine if a woman abuses drugs during her pregnancy. Self-reporting and biological specimens are the two methods used to determine drug use. Urine, hair, and meconium are three ways that biological specimens are studied. Urine is found to be the most used method in order to determine drug use. Collecting a urine sample is fast and relatively easy.
Drugs affect the growth and development of the fetus inside of the mother. Permanent brain damage can take place if a mother is abusing drugs during her pregnancy. Nicotine is passed into the mother's milk. This can decrease a mother's milk output, low weight gain for the baby, and exposure to harsh chemicals with the smoke. Being exposed to tobacco products can interfere with the child's course of growth and increase the child's chances of becoming obese later in life. A child may be more prone to having attention problems and issues with language development due to the exposure to tobacco. There are several neuro-behavior problems found within children associated with tobacco and alcohol exposure at an early age. Poorer mathematics skills were reported among children with exposure to alcohol, prenatally. Overall School achievement hasn't been studied in depth enough to come to concrete facts about the matter. Alcohol is the most researched prenatal drug abused. It's important to realize just how harmful it can be to abuse or even just use a substance while being pregnant. Though substance abuse can hinder the development and overall well-being of a child, it doesn't write them off as being doomed forever. With determination, a child can rise above their circumstances and achieve their dreams.
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