SPECIAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN EXPOSED
The effects of using drugs and/ alcohol have devastating effect on families and on children who have been prenatal exposure to drugs. The health conditions of drug exposed infants are low birth weight, prematurity; small for gestational age (SGA), failure to thrive (FTT), neurobehavioral symptoms, infectious diseases, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and fetal alcohol syndrome. Infants and toddlers who have been exposed prenatally to drugs develop some patters such as unpredictable sleeping patterns, feeding difficulties, irritability, atypical social interaction, language delay, poor fine motor development, and minimal play strategies. Preschool children may have difficulties with hyperactive, short attention span; lose control easy, changes in mood, processing auditory or visual information. Others post natal social risks of children who have prenatally exposed to drugs are early insecure attachment patterns, environmental instability, poor nurturing, out-ofhome placement. The majority of drug affected children that are included in multiple placements, have been children who were abused and neglected, or children who come from domestic violence backgrounds and other stressors related to drug and or alcohol abuse, but not all children exposed to drugs develop the same problems some shows mild impairments and in others is severe creating highly disruptive behavior, and severe language difficulties. Early identification of social, cognitive, language, and motor development problems is essential for the development of these children. Some strategies can be used to address the necessities of infant and children exposed to drugs such as provide a calm environment (low light-soft voices), use calm techniques (rocking, holding, massage), and gradually increase the amount and time of daily activities. When we create a predictable, secure and stable environment children can development more adequately. Children in school age need a classroom that supports the most favorable environment, giving to the child enough to promote attachment, predictable environment with routines and rituals, avoid frustration, behavior modeling and opportunities for appropriately expressing feeling. It is important to pay attention to children language development, social, emotional, cognitive, and motor development. Children who have been prenatal exposure to drugs will benefit from strategies that promote child strengths, improve deficits, and enhance functioning. It is important that the caregiver (parent, relative, foster parent, adoptive parent) learn about routines and techniques that provides effective care to the child. Social workers, case managers, nurse, early intervention programs, and therapists must work with the caregiver to provide support and training for the advance of the child. REFERENCES www.cpeip.fsu.edu/faimh/resources.cfm http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9216/drug.htm
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