title: Prenatal drug exposure: neurodevelopmental outcome and parenting environment.
abstract: Examined neurodevelopmental patterns and caregiving environment among 20 infants prenatally exposed to cocaine and 20 drug-free infants. The Brazelton Scale was administered 4 times. Drug-exposed infants had less optimal neurodevelopment than comparison infants at birth, but by 6 weeks only differences in autonomic stability were apparent. Neurodevelopmental performance was related positively to the child-centered quality of the environment. Though support buffered stress in both groups, the effect was more robust among drug-free mothers. Findings support the need to consider neurodevelopmental recovery and the caregiving environment in evaluations of developmental outcome among drug-exposed infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nair
mesh_terms: D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012931:Social Environment
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs