title: Prenatal methamphetamine exposure and childhood behavior problems at 3 and 5 years of age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated behavior problems in children who were prenatally exposed to methamphetamine (MA) at ages 3 and 5 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Infant Development, Environment, and Lifestyle study, a prospective, longitudinal study of prenatal MA exposure and child outcome, enrolled subjects postpartum in Los Angeles, California; Honolulu, Hawaii; Des Moines, Iowa; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Prenatal exposure was determined by maternal self-report and/or meconium results. Exposed and comparison groups were matched on race, birth weight, public health insurance, and education. Mothers in the comparison group denied use and had a negative meconium screen for amphetamines. Prenatal exposures to tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana occurred in both groups. At ages 3 and 5 years, 330 children (166 exposed and 164 comparison) were assessed for behavior problems by using the caregiver report on the Child Behavior Checklist. General linear mixed models were used to determine the effects of prenatal MA exposure, including heavy exposure (≥3 days per week), age, and the interaction of exposure and age on behavior problems with adjustment for other drugs of abuse and environmental risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MA exposure was associated with increased emotional reactivity and anxious/depressed problems at both ages and externalizing and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder problems by age 5 years. Heavy exposure was related to attention problems and withdrawn behavior at both ages. There were no effects of MA on the internalizing or total behavior problems scales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first report of behavior problems in patients as young as 3 years associated with MA exposure identifies an important public health problem. Continued follow-up can inform the development of preventive intervention programs.
authors.affiliation: Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University and Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI 02905, USA. linda_lagasse@brown.edu
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: LaGasse
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Derauf
authors.forename: Lynne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Elana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Rizwan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arria
authors.forename: Marilyn A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Huestis
authors.forename: Sheri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: DellaGrotta
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Lynne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dansereau
authors.forename: Barry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lester
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000523:psychology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine