分娩前接触可卡因对儿童入学早期也会产生影响

最新一项研究表明，怀孕时母亲所使用的药物产生的效应可能会很久，母亲在妊娠期间服用过可卡因其子女在注意力测试中要比其他同龄人要差。

研究人员回顾了415例美国非洲裔儿童在5或7岁所进行测试的结果，这些儿童现在已经14到16岁了。219例儿童的母亲在怀孕时曾吸食过可卡因，而另外196例儿童的母亲未曾吸食过此类药品。所有的母亲都十分贫穷并且生活在迈阿密中部地带城市。 

吸食过毒品母亲所生的儿童在注意力集中方面不及其他孩子。这些儿童更容易因开小差而犯错并且对事物的反应性比对照组儿童要慢。 

“这项研究显示孕期吸食过可卡因的母亲对其孩子的影响可能会持续到读书早期。”第一作者迈阿密大学Veronica Accornero教授说。然而，可卡因的作用相比酒精和烟草来说要小得多。通常情况下，使用可卡因孕妇所生的孩子所做的测试结果要比预计得要好，尤其当考虑到他们的背景时。美国佛州大学副教授Tamara Warner解释道。

Prenatal Cocaine Exposure Affects Attention in Early School Years 

Newswise — Adding to the evidence that maternal drug use can have lasting effects, a new study finds that young schoolchildren of cocaine-using moms scored more poorly on attention tests. Researchers looked at test scores of 415 African-American children who took tests at age 5 or 7 (now 14 to 16 years old). The mothers of 219 of the children had taken cocaine while pregnant, and the mothers of the other 196 had not. All of the mothers were poor and living in the Miami inner city.Children born to cocaine-addicted moms showed signs of having more trouble paying attention than the other kids. They were more likely to make errors of omission and had slower reaction times on tasks. “This study provides further evidence of a subtle but consistent effect on attention through early school-aged years,” said lead author, assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Miami. However, the effects are minor, and one pediatric specialist suggested they pale next to the problems caused when mothers use alcohol and tobacco. In general, children born to cocaine-using mothers “are doing much better than anyone predicted, especially considering their background,” said, research assistant professor at the University of Florida who is familiar with the study findings. 

The study appears in the June issue of the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.During and after the crack epidemic of the 1980s, so-called “crack babies” were the subject of media coverage and concern about their futures. Researchers found, however, that the effects in general “appear to be more subtle and specific than initially believed,” Accornero said.She said the children do not appear to have a hard time with “intellectual functioning,” although they might have difficulties with language, attention and behavior. The future effects on these children is unclear. “Certainly, attention and the ability to maintain attention is an important skill that supports the development of other skills like language and behavior,” Accornero said.

“It’s possible that because of subtle deficits we may see an effect on academic performance. We just don’t know yet.”The Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics is published bimonthly by the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. For information, contact Mary Sharkey at (212) 595-7717.Accornero VH, et al. Impact of prenatal cocaine exposure on attention and response inhibition as assessed by continuous performance tests. J Dev Behav Pediatr 28(3), 2007.