# Drug addict babies - any advice please?



## everhopeful (Feb 19, 2004)

Hi

Just wondered if any one out there has any experience of a "drugs" baby?

Heard about a birthmum being a "prolific" drug user throughout pregnancy although we know the baby had no significant withdrawel symptons.
Looking at some sights on the web, I see that it can depend on what types of drugs were used.

Can anyone offer any experience of any long term symptoms or developmental problems? 

Thank you x


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## keemjay (Jan 19, 2004)

I did quite a bit of research on this...be interesting if others have anything different to say...

most of my research was based on heroin and methadone...not sure if the following applies to cocaine/anything else.
from what i read the side effects for babies (once they have been treated for withdrawal at birth, which sometimes can be many weeks and can be very traumatic for the baby and carers)  amazingly only seem to be a small and unproven link with ADHD later on. the links are a bit woolley as no proper studies have been done and there is such a difference between cases..some children end up growing up with their drug addict parents and therefore one doesnt know if the environment/lifestyle they experience is linked to their behaviour.
it seems that alcohol has far more devastating effects than drug use 

kj x


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## Dame Edna (May 17, 2007)

From the research I have done and from what our Social Worker has said I would far rather the mother was a heroin addict than an alcoholic when pregnant.

I think you have to take on a case by case basis and weigh up the 'risks' involved once you have all the facts.  I would want to check if the mother had a good diet during pregnancy (yes really), how the baby coped with withdrawal, if he/she is feeding and gaining weight, also, one case study we looked at showed that the mother had taken drugs in other pregnancies and the other kids turned out developmentally 'ok' (at age 3) so I guess I would look at siblings too.  I also read that the offspring of young drug addict parents do better than that of older drug addict mothers - obviously do your own research to validate this.

It was a complete eye opener to know that the alcohol misuse has the potential to do so much more damage than drug use.

Just as an aside, I think I would be more concerned with 'attachment' issues of a toddler than drug withdrawal in a newborn  

Dame Edna xx


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## Viva (May 16, 2005)

Hi Ever, 
I ploughted through the BAAF book on Alcohol and drug misuse (I can't remember the title, but it was a helpful read) prior to being matched, in case this was an issue for the children we might have been matched with. From what I remember alcohol use tends to cause far more significant long term issues then drug usage as the others have said. However some children can be difficult to feed and have failure to thrive as a result of this, some may be hypersensitive especially to touch (E.G. may be very irritated by some fabrics on their skin or clothing labels, and there may be concentration issues. Saying this we are friends with a family who have adopted 3 children whose background (I'm pretty sure) involves maternal drug abuse and they are great, and have no issues that are unusual in adopted children (or other children for that matter) a bit of speech delay and some anger management issues in the eldest, but this is more due to the other issues surrounding his adoption.
I Hope this helps a little.
Love
Viva
XXX


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## Pooh bears mummy (Jul 11, 2004)

Hi Ever

Pinkys background was maternal drug user, all types!!! but so far there seems to be no ill effects. At 14 months she is a happy lively little thing. Saying that BM was surposed to be off most things during pregnancy but different reports say she was then she wasn't?

Good Luck hun.

PBMx


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## superal (May 27, 2005)

Hi 

No real advice but my friend adopted a baby through concurrency and the BM was an alcoholic and my friends DD has "problems" ADHD & lots of behavioural problems.

Am I reading into this that you may have been approached about a possible match

Love
Andrea
xx


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

sorry to butt in but was just reading the board

One question which you may already have the answer to is how chaotic was the drug use and how much etc. As its a different story if it was occasional use to a high dependency. 
If they are saying she was a high user and the child had no significant withdrawal symptons, that would surprise me slightly ?



Dame Edna said:


> Just as an aside, I think I would be more concerned with 'attachment' issues of a toddler than drug withdrawal in a newborn
> 
> Dame Edna xx


Just wanted to say that attachment can be a huge mountain to climb but it is possible to conquer it and then some  My 2 yr old foster little one had severe attachment issues 6 months ago when he came to us but is now doing better than anyone expected and has attached to us in a really significant way 

xx


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## Dame Edna (May 17, 2007)

Hi Suzie 

Ooo I so hope I didn't offend anyone by saying I would rather have a child who was exposed to drugs (not alcohol) in the womb than a toddler with attachment issues. I am sorry if I caused any offence to anyone.

I do understand that the majority of little people being adopted will have a level of 'attachment issues' but _severe attachment_ issues (from what I understand) are hard to overcome and is quite big job to take on. Mild issues, yes ....

I think it all boils down to doing your own research on a case by case basis and weighing where your own strengths and weaknesses lie etc. On our Prep Course, we learned of one little boy (age 5) who had such terrible attachment issues and that the adoptive mum really never got anything back from the boy at all and this was 3 years into placement  It scared the sh*t out of me to be honest 

I am really delighted to hear that your little fostered one is improving and attaching to you - what a credit that is to how you are caring for him. Well done 

Hope I didn't annoy you or anyone else - I'm a sensitive softie and it certainly wasn't my intention to, I was just putting my own personal thoughts forward 
Best wishes
Dame Edna
x


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## everhopeful (Feb 19, 2004)

Hi Ladies

Thanks for your thoughts.
Dame Edna - you've certainly not offended me! Don't worry about it!!  

PBM - Thanks for your bit. It's nice to hear a voice of experience in this field. Glad your pinkie is doing well!!

Andrea - I know from pasting reading up on it, that alcohol babies have much more problems, physically and mentally.
All I am prepared to say at this stage is "link"   I daren't say another word. Until final decisions are made and the possibilities look like becoming reality this time, then I'm keeping mum!!
   I'll tell you all when I have something to tell you!!

Thanks again

x


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## Pooh bears mummy (Jul 11, 2004)

Waiting with baited breath   .

PBMx


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

Dame Edna you didnt offend me  just wanted to make people aware that when people hear about these little ones with attachment issues that they can be overcome 

waiting with baited breath also 

xx


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