Jm. Johnson et al., STANDARDIZED TEST PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN WITH A HISTORY OF PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO MULTIPLE DRUGS COCAINE/, Journal of communication disorders, 30(1), 1997, pp. 45-73
Twenty-four children, age 14 to 50 months, with a history of prenatal
exposure to multiple drugs including cocaine, were matched by adjusted
birth age and sex to 24 children with no history of drug exposure. Al
l children had been living in stable, drug-free environments from at l
east the age of 11 months. Tests administered included the Sequenced I
nventory of Communicative Development-Revised (SICD), the Bayley Scale
s of Infant Development, and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revis
ed (PPVT-R). Results indicated significant differences between groups
and genders on the SICD when age was covaried and between groups on th
e Bayley. No groups or genders differed on the PPVT-R. Many (45.8%) of
the children in the drug-exposed group qualified for intervention ser
vices according to Washington state criteria. Subject characteristics,
other than age, did not play a significant role in the findings of gr
oup differences. It is concluded that, due to the cumulative effects o
f prenatal history, these children should be considered at risk for la
nguage delay. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Science me.