‘Crack Babies’ Show Fewer Problems Than Predicted, Experts Say

They were dubbed “a lost generation.” Magazines, newspapers and television programs blared that “crack babies” would be the bane of a nation.

But a decade after some authorities predicted a national health catastrophe because of the expanding number of children born with cocaine in their blood, experts say that there is reason to believe the reality could be brighter.

A drug-exposed child can think, reason and learn like a “normal” child, research and anecdotal evidence now suggest. But he may have trouble sitting still in his chair; authorities say that children born with drugs in their systems are more susceptible to hyperactivity, depression, anxiety and impulsive behavior.

Those potential shortcomings can be substantially mitigated, however, by solid and consistent parenting, particularly if the nurturing begins early in life.

The findings have contributed to the national push to move more foster children into stable, adoptive homes--and at younger ages.

Programs are emerging to help families and children cope with difficulties experienced by drug-exposed children. One of the most acclaimed initiatives is TIES for Adoption, a project developed and implemented by UCLA and Los Angeles County.

The 3-year-old program begins by training pre-adoptive parents what to expect from a substance-exposed child. If the child begins exhibiting the hyperactivity, depression, anxiety or impulsiveness that sometimes follow prenatal drug exposure, TIES will provide a psychologist. At the same time, parents can learn strategies from their own therapist for dealing with the problems.

TIES counselors also work with teachers and school personnel to structure programs that help keep children on task. They work with doctors to decide if medication would help. Once a month, parents share ideas on raising children.

The program has served about 100 children and families in Los Angeles County. Hundreds more could benefit from it, supporters say. And legislation is pending to spread the service to other counties throughout California.

The exact contribution of cocaine and other drugs to later behavioral problems remains difficult to determine. It is clear that unstable home lives, or moving between multiple homes, exacerbate potential problems for children whose mothers took drugs.

But if there is one truth about children born to mothers who abused drugs and/or alcohol, it is this: There are no ultimate truths. Clinicians, psychotherapists and foster parents stress that each child responds differently to prenatal substance exposure and that each must be treated accordingly.

Susan B. Edelstein, director of the TIES program, said she is disturbed when she sees many young children waiting for adoption, because adults fear the worst.

“We see a lot of these children who, with good environments and good care, can do well,” Edelstein said. “That might not mitigate all the prior history, but it makes a big difference. . . . They are not all time bombs waiting to go off.”