A review of the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure among school-aged children
A review of the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure among school-aged children
No Thumbnail Available
Publication or External Link
Date
2010
Authors
Ackerman, John P
Riggins, Tracy
Black, Maureen M
Advisor
Citation
Ackerman, J. P., Riggins, T., & Black, M. M. (2010). A review of the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure among school-aged children. Pediatrics, 125(3), 554-565.
DRUM DOI
Abstract
CONTEXT: Studies through 6 years have shown no long-term direct
effects of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) on children’s physical
growth, developmental test scores, or language outcomes. Little is
known about the effects of PCE among school-aged children aged 6
years and older.
OBJECTIVE: We reviewed articles from studies that examined the effects
of PCE on growth, cognitive ability, academic functioning, and
brain structure and function among school-aged children.
METHODS: Articles were obtained by searching PubMed, Medline,
TOXNET, and PsycInfo databases from January 1980 to December 2008
with the terms “prenatal cocaine exposure,” “cocaine,” “drug exposure,”
“substance exposure,” “maternal drug use,” “polysubstance,”
“children,” “adolescent,” “in utero,” “pregnancy,” “development,” and
“behavior.” Criteria for inclusion were (1) empirical research on children
aged 6 years and older prenatally exposed to cocaine, (2) peerreviewed
English-language journal, (3) comparison group, (4) longitudinal
follow-up or historical prospective design, (5) masked
assessment, (6) exclusion of subjects with serious medical disabilities,
and (7) studies that reported nonredundant findings for samples used
in multiple investigations. Thirty-two unique studies met the criteria.
Each article was independently abstracted by 2 authors to obtain sample
composition, methods of PCE assessment, study design, comparison
groups, dependent variables, covariates, and results.
RESULTS: Associations between PCE and growth, cognitive ability, academic
achievement, and language functioning were small and attenuated
by environmental variables. PCE had significant negative associations
with sustained attention and behavioral self-regulation, even
with covariate control. Although emerging evidence suggests PCErelated
alterations in brain structure and function, interpretation is
limited by methodologic inconsistencies.
CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with findings among preschool-aged children,
environmental variables play a key role in moderating and explaining
the effects of PCE on school-aged children’s functioning. After
controlling for these effects, PCE-related impairments are reliably reported
in sustained attention and behavioral self-regulation among
school-aged children. Pediatrics 2010;125:554–565