Mothers who use meth are putting their babies in danger, study says

By Staff Writer

Prenatal exposure to methamphetamine can lead to developmental issues, a new study says.

The report, which was presented May 1 at the Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting in Denver, is based on a study of 185 newborn babies who were exposed to meth while they were in their mother's womb. The results were compared to an examination of 195 subjects who were not exposed to meth, but who were prenatally exposed to alcohol, tobacco or marijuana.

Researchers used a behavioral scale to assess the participants during the first four days of life, and then again at one month of age. They found that babies who were exposed to meth had more trouble waking up from sleep, compared to the control group.

In addition, once the meth babies were completely awake, the researchers had more trouble calming them down after they started crying. According to the study's authors, these findings indicate that meth exposure can impact an infant's reflexes and stress levels.

Adolescents who have developmental problems stemming from prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol may benefit from a summer boot camp.