Effects of herion on fetuses/children

My two adopted grandsons were born to a mother who was addicted to herion and also used marijuana and alcohol, as well as other drugs. Both of the boys suffer from multiple disabilities. Can anyone tell me what some of the effects of herion are to the children born to heroin addicts ? we have been trying to decypher what  problems can be associated to which addiction.

thanks for any knowledgeable info re: this problem

[hellc@mst]

Hello. Sorry it has taken so long for someone to reply to your post. I think the jury is out as to the dangers heroin poses to the unborn baby and how it may manifest throughout the childrens lives. Heroin, by itself has been linked with low birth weight and/or premature birth but their is little or no evidence to suggest congentital defects, mental / social dysfuntion, etc,etc,etc.

Whilst it can be argued that there is a link between children born to heroin addicts and serious underachievement and social problems, this has more to do with their environment and poor mentoring rather than some defect which developed in utero.

Marijuana/tobacco has also been linked with low birth weight and premature birth but there is also a poorly understood correlation with behavioural issues and developmental delay. Again, there is some confusion as to the true source of some of the latter problems as some arguements point to the environment and the diminished paternal capacity of the addicted parent rather than some chemical deficiency caused through in utero narcotic consumption.

Alcohol, as you may already know, has long been known to cause severe congenital/developmental/behavioural problems. The most widely known would have to be Foetal Alcohol Syndrome(FAS) Some of the more common symptoms are:


•Poor growth while the baby is in the womb and after birth

•Decreased muscle tone and poor coordination

•Delayed development and significant functional problems in three or more major areas: thinking, speech, movement, or social skills (as expected for the baby's age)

•Heart defects such as ventricular septal defect (VSD) or atrial septal defect (ASD)

•Structural problems with the face, including:

◦Narrow, small eyes with large epicanthal folds

◦Small head

◦Small upper jaw

◦Smooth groove in upper lip

◦Smooth and thin upper lip


You dont mention benzos but the inference is that your daughter was abusing "other drugs"as well. This family of drugs is similar to alcohol in terms of the severity of life long issues that can arise as a result of abuse during pregnancy. Short term immediate problems are:

45. Low birth weight. 18
46. Breathing difficulties.19,20
47. “Floppy” muscles. 19
48. Unstable body temperature. 19
49. Alteration in heart rate/function. 6,19.
50. Altered EEG measurements.21
51. Withdrawal syndrome (can be protracted) with irritability, convulsions etc

Long term problems:
Malformations
Conflicting reports of the incidence of cleft palate and other malformations have continued to
emerge since the 1970s; the results remain unclear. A recent meta-analysis (2000) of 13
studies showed no increased risk of BZ-induced malformations from cohort studies and slight
increased risk from case-controlled studies. 34.
Developmental effects
Animal studies show that BZs can interfere with foetal development including
neurodevelopment, 45, 35 and development of the immune system. 36,37.
Current human research 38,39 reflects many animal findings, as do the growing anecdotal
reports.
An informal study amongst self-reported parents of 63 BZ-exposed children 40 revealed high
rates of neonatal and later developmental problems; e.g. 30% needed treatment in special
care at birth and 31% developed learning difficulties. Unexposed siblings were reported to be
unaffected, indicating that further research is needed.
2

  So, i guess the point i am trying to make is that Heroin may not be where i would be focusing my energies or where i would be directing my concerns. The legal and less potent drugs( tobacco/cannabis/alcohol,benzodiazapines) have the potential for far more sinister ramifications than heroin. I guess it matters little where the problems came from but only how they can possibly be resolved. You dont mention any specific problems so i dont have any suggestions about how to mitigate their severity. I wish you and your grandchildren,all the best.

Regards Jeremy.