Estimating the neurocognitive effects of an early intervention program for children with prenatal alcohol exposure.
BACKGROUND
Animal studies suggest that early intervention in pups exposed heavily to ethanol in utero can mitigate their neurocognitive damage. No human studies on this promising mechanism exists.


METHODS
Breaking the Cycle is an early intervention program for drug-and alcohol addicted mothers and their young children. We compared BSID-III scores between infants heavily exposed to ethanol and a group exposed only to drugs of abuse, mainly cocaine. Both groups benefited from all aspects of our early intervention program.


RESULTS
The two groups did not differ in any aspect of the BSID-III. These data are in contradistinction to the damage seen in heavily ethanol- exposed infants not benefiting from early intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
This pilot suggests that early intervention may mitigate some of the well described damages caused by heavy in utero alcohol exposure.
Yazdani
Parvaneh
P
ivision of Clinical Pharmacology &Toxicology, Hospital for Sick Children andUniversity of Toronto, Toronto.
Motz
Mary
M
Koren
Gideon
G
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*