NCJ Number
129866
Journal
Pediatric Clinics of North America Volume: 37 Issue: 4 Dated: (August 1990) Pages: 881-904
Date Published
1990
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This literature review examines the numbers of children being raised by addicted parents, the effects of prenatal exposure to drugs, factors in addicted families that increase the risk of child abuse and neglect, and the evidence linking drug abuse and child abuse.
Abstract
The discussion notes that at least 1 in 10 children in the United States is born into a chemically dependent family. In addition, parental addiction has long-lasting detrimental effects on the health and safety of children. Alcohol and other drugs of abuse cross the placenta and can cause many kinds of harmful effects on the developing fetus. In addition, infants and children in addicted families risk both direct and indirect exposure to drugs. Other factors that increase the risk of child abuse and neglect in addicted families include diversion of the parent's time and resources, parental criminality, mental and physical illness, poor parenting skills, and inappropriate behavior due to drug effects. In addition, infants exposed to alcohol and other drugs prenatally show characteristics that may interfere with parent-child attachment and place them at greater risk of abuse. The research linking substance abuse and child abuse indicate the need for substantially increased efforts to prevent and treat both addiction and child abuse. 87 references