Juvenile Justice

Prenatal Exposure to Drugs - The Beginning

One of the largest groups of at-risk children are those who were prenatally exposed to their mother's drug and alcohol abuse during pregnancy. Commonly abused drugs of choice include heroin, crack-cocaine, marijuana, and prescription drugs such as tranquilizers and stimulants. Substance exposed infants experience after-effects that can slow development as well as psychological and behavior problems. In other words, these children are virtually doomed from birth unless proper diagnosis and intervention aid them in their development as children.

Intervention programs for mothers and their babies can be challenging and very expensive. Some of the drug babies are placed in foster care, which is also costly with dwindling resources of foster care families willing to take on these cases. Add to this the costs associated with special education and other family social services, and the aftercare costs for these youths can be astronomical.

Alcohol Abuse

Another group, and by far the most common, of at-risk children headed for negative developmental outcomes are those whose parents abused alcohol. Alcohol is so common in American society these days that it is not considered a drug. Beer, wine, and liquor are all central nervous system depressants and will have lasting effects on a developing fetus. Infants exposed to this dilemma are at a greater risk in developing behavior problems and poor social skills that can persist into childhood.

Children whose parents abuse alcohol are also at a higher risk for family related problems such as incest, child neglect and abuse, and domestic abuse. Children victim to these behaviors are ashamed of their families and tend to keep these behaviors a secret from other adults such as counselors and teachers. Some of the associated behaviors by children affected by family problems may include:

· Truancy

· Failure in school

· Lack of friends and withdrawal from classmates

· Delinquent behavior - acting out with violence

· Abuse of drugs or alcohol themselves

· Depression or suicidal thoughts or behaviors

Again, early intervention to break this cycle of family behaviors can give these children a better chance at life in becoming successful and productive adults.