MEDICINE

Effects of Maternal Drug Use in Speech Delay in Children



Effects of Maternal Drug Use in Speech Delay in Children

Introduction

Substance abuse is also known as drug abuse which is a pattern of the usage of any kind of drugs or alcohol which makes a user dependent on its use for survival. This term has different definitions in different contexts but primarily refers to negativity of the use of drugs. The drugs that are often associated with substance abuse include alcohol, “barbiturates”, “amphetamines” and “methaqualone”. Usage of drugs leads to various kinds of harm in terms of social, physical and psychological harm and also leads to criminal penalty at times but this depends on the local jurisdiction of a country. However, use of drugs by women during pregnancy is extremely harmful for the mother and the child both. One major problem that occurs because of maternal drug use is speech delay in children.

Symptoms

Drug abuse often leads to many problems such as health and social problems, injuries, violence, accidents and suicides. Moreover, it also leads to physical dependence and also leads to death in some cases. Individuals who consume more alcohol and other drugs often commit suicide and this is more commonly due to long term use of alcohol and drugs which leads to distortion of brain chemistry as well as social isolation (Black, 2000).

Suicide

Since the drugs contain different intoxicants, this also increases the chances of suicide of the individuals who are victims of substance abuse. The adolescents are more prone to indulge in these kinds of activities and mostly suicides occur due to alcohol abuse which is also a part of substance abuse. In the United States, 30% of the suicides occur due to alcohol abuse. Moreover, alcohol abuse also leads to various other criminal activities such as child abuse and violence (Cone-Wesson, 2005).

Mental illness

The addicts can become a victim of mental illness during their intoxication stage as well as after they have withdrawn. Moreover, substance abuse also leads to psychiatric disorders and depression.

Central nervous system effects

Substance abuse also leads to the Central nervous system effects which are responsible for the changes in mood levels and perceptions. Besides CNS, drugs also alter the other systems and they also lead to uncontrolled use of drugs

Maternal Drug Use

Although it is not uncommon for substance abuse to occur during pregnancy, maternal drug use probably has the earliest, most debilitating, and the longest- lasting effect on the fetus. The link between maternal drug use and the effect on the fetus was initially made by the pediatrician Paul Lemoine in 1968. Working in Nantes, a wine-growing region of France, he carefully documented 127 infants with similar facial dysmorphic features such as speech delay of children whose mothers had consumed drugs during pregnancy. Thus, a new developmental disorder entered the literature which was directly related to the teratogenic effect of maternal drug use during pregnancy.

With reference to speech delay in children because of maternal drug use the physical features ...