Cognitive and Socioemotional Functioning at 4½ Years in Children Born to Mothers Who Have Received Treatment for Substance‐abuse Problems While Pregnant

Abstract

Cognitive and socioemotional functioning at 4½ years of age were examined in children born to mothers with substance-abuse problems (n = 22) recruited from residential treatment institutions while pregnant, and then compared to children born to mothers with mental health problems (n = 18) and children from a low-risk group (n = 26). No significant group differences in cognitive functioning were found, but the children born to mothers with substance-abuse problems showed more caregiver-reported socioemotional problems than did the low-risk children, like the children born to mothers with mental health problems. Birth weight had an effect on internalizing problems at 4½ years and mediated the relation between group and socioemotional problems, although not when controlling for caregiver education, single parenthood, and anxiety and depression. At 4½ years, 7 children born to mothers with substance-abuse problems were placed in foster care. These children had lower birth weight and higher caregiver-rated internalizing problems. In addition to emphasizing the importance of the quality of the prenatal environment, this study suggests that families with previous substance abuse are in need of long-term follow-up to address socioemotional problems and enhance further positive child cognitive development. The foster-placed children may be in particular need of long-term follow-up.

Prenatal exposure to opioids and neurodevelopment in infancy and childhood: A systematic review

“…Cognition development was assessed in 32 studies among toddlers and in early childhood ( 31 , 35 , 36 , 39 , 42 , 44 , 46 , 51 – 55 , 59 , 63 , 68 , 69 , 71 , 73 , 75 , 79 – 83 , 88 , 90 , 95 , 99 , 100 , 102 – 104 ). The most common test was the Bayley Scale for Infant Development (BSID) (I–III).…”

“…Behavioral problems were assessed in 22 studies ( 28 , 35 , 39 , 42 – 44 , 46 , 47 , 54 – 56 , 59 , 62 , 63 , 68 , 69 , 83 , 84 , 86 , 92 , 99 , 100 ) in this age group. The most common instrument used to assess behavior was the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) for children older than 3 years old.…”

Prenatal exposure to opioids.

“…In fact, reports have suggested less severe or frequent NAS and a higher gestational age and/or birth weight of children born to mothers who reduced or stopped using opioids (e.g., Dashe et al, 1998;Dooley et al, 2015;Haabrekke et al, 2014;Kyei-Aboagye et al, 1998;Stewart et al, 2013). Few studies of long-term outcomes have been conducted, but one study did not observe significant differences in neuroanatomical measures or cognitive functions at 4.5 years of age in children born to mothers with opioid addiction or polysubstance use who had tapered off their drug use before or during pregnancy in a residential setting compared with children born to mothers without drug addiction or misuse (Haabrekke et al, 2018;Walhovd et al, 2015).…”