Pubdate: Mon, 04 Nov 2002
Source: Charlotte Observer (NC)
Copyright: 2002 The Charlotte Observer
Contact:  http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/78
Author: Dallas Morning News

RESEARCHERS COULDN'T TELL IF BABIES EXPOSED TO COCAINE

Trained research assistants, evaluating children's development, cannot tell 
which ones were exposed to cocaine in the womb and which weren't, a new 
study has found.

Boston scientists enrolled 163 4-year-olds in the study, and asked 
evaluators who were unaware of the children's history to guess whether each 
child had been exposed to cocaine.

Although the exposed and unexposed groups scored similarly in developmental 
testing, the evaluators were more likely to label children who did worse as 
cocaine babies. In all, 74 percent of the children unexposed to cocaine 
were labeled exposed, and 37 percent of the exposed children were 
classified as unexposed.

Researchers haven't adequately shown that biological and developmental 
problems stem from prenatal cocaine exposure, the scientists argue. They 
note flaws in earlier studies.

Among poor, urban children, many other things can contribute to behavioral 
and developmental problems, the researchers report, including prenatal 
alcohol or cigarette exposure.
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