Prenatal Drug Exposure and Its Impact on a Child's Development
This report will inform you on the contemporary issue of prenatal drug exposure, and the impact of it on a child’s future and development. I will be specifically targeting Marijuana. I will cover the points of; behavioral issues, and the increased risk of depression during teenage years. Children that have been exposed to the drug while still in the womb do not have any obvious side effects or defects at birth, and they often do not show up until later on in their development. Thus making this reports contents based on the exposed children’s lives from 3 years of age and up.
Prenatal Marijuana exposure is closely associated with behavioural issues, which can hugely impact the exposed child, all through its life. Many studies have been conducted on individuals exposed to the drug. A large majority of the cases have shown some kind of behavioural problem, especially during later schooling years. The most common forms of behavioural issues are impaired attention, low memory capacity, limited problem solving skills and intense impulsive urges. As mentioned in a drug abuse information website “Pre-natal marijuana exposure had persistent negative effects through age 16 on higher order thinking, including problem solving, memory , planning , impulsivity and attention” It isn’t usually until the age of 16 that the lack of problem solving skills becomes obvious, as most children haven’t developed them fully until that age. Their unusually short attention spans can be noted from the time they begin school but do not become a worry until their teenage years, as before that point children’s attention spans are expected to be very limited in comparison.
The next most adverse effect of PNDE with marijuana is depression within the child’s pre-teen and teenage years. Marijuana is a depressant drug and while it can give a sense of euphoria or calmness while you’re under the influence, your moods can become erratic after the high. The drug has often been linked with
Prenatal Marijuana exposure is closely associated with behavioural issues, which can hugely impact the exposed child, all through its life. Many studies have been conducted on individuals exposed to the drug. A large majority of the cases have shown some kind of behavioural problem, especially during later schooling years. The most common forms of behavioural issues are impaired attention, low memory capacity, limited problem solving skills and intense impulsive urges. As mentioned in a drug abuse information website “Pre-natal marijuana exposure had persistent negative effects through age 16 on higher order thinking, including problem solving, memory , planning , impulsivity and attention” It isn’t usually until the age of 16 that the lack of problem solving skills becomes obvious, as most children haven’t developed them fully until that age. Their unusually short attention spans can be noted from the time they begin school but do not become a worry until their teenage years, as before that point children’s attention spans are expected to be very limited in comparison.
The next most adverse effect of PNDE with marijuana is depression within the child’s pre-teen and teenage years. Marijuana is a depressant drug and while it can give a sense of euphoria or calmness while you’re under the influence, your moods can become erratic after the high. The drug has often been linked with