Articles on adoption, foster care, & pediatrics

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Prenatal Alcohol and Drug Exposures

We just had a review article published in Pediatric Clinics of North America, in an issue dedicated to international adoption that's chock full of articles on pre- and post-adoption medical and developmental issues. The abstract of our article is as follows:

Prenatal alcohol and drug exposures are a significant concern in many domestic and international adoptions. This article addresses the following substance exposures for children: alcohol, opiates, tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines. For each substance, we review the teratogenicity of the exposure and identify the spectrum of neurodevelopmental issues that can present in children exposed to this substance. Diagnosis of the spectrum of fetal alcohol outcomes is also discussed. When possible, we provide country-specific statistics on exposure risks for adopted children.

It's a lengthy, in-depth review that was written for other health care providers, but should also be accessible to parents, caregivers, and other adoption workers. We hope you find it helpful ...