Children and drug exposure is something you shouldn’t have to worry about but we do.
I’m currently doing research for what happens to children that were exposed to meth and other drugs.
One of the first things I learned is that whether they were exposed prenatally or they were exposed to the toxins by air or touching things that have residue on them they are pretty much the same outcome.
Babies that are exposed to meth before they are born tend to be born with a low birthweight and they tend to have a smaller circumference of their head. They can be born premature. They can have heart problems. One of the reasons they are underweight is because the mother usually does not take care of herself or get prenatal care.
Most babies born after being exposed to meth during the last trimester go through withdrawl symptoms. The withdrawl symptoms can last up to six months. Some of the symptoms that you see are similar to babies that were exposed to other types of drugs like cocaine and heroin. They can have jerky movements and shaking they are very hard to comfort.
Babies exposed to meth can have intestinal issues, like colic. They can have sleep disturbances, where they are unable to sleep for any period of time. They also have sensory issues, a sensitivity to touching which includes but not limited to snuggling, cuddling, a wet/dirty diaper and they tend to not like being undressed/ naked. They are sensitive to loud noises and bright lights. They also scare easily and do not like to be alone.
Before I start talking about the effects of meth on preschool age children I’d like to make it understood that these babies that were exposed in the womb are going to have the same problems when they reach preschool age.
Preschoolers if exposed to meth Is usually due to living in a home that is either a meth lab or used for trafficking. When meth is used in the home it causes an aerosol cloud to form in the air which then settles as residue on everything in the home. Including the children’s blankets, toys, the floor, food, table tops, and clothing everything gets a residue on it. When toddlers or preschoolers crawl around on the floor or touch the toys and then put their hands in their mouth they are putting the meth into their mouth. So basically what you have is preschool and toddlers that are constantly getting high and crashing the same as their parents.
Studies have shown that at the age of 4 ½ when children are normally tested children that have been exposed to meth have low test scores and learning disabilities. They have increased cognitive problems. They also perform poorly in school and have behavior problems. Meth affects part of the brain that is associated with learning, memory, motor control, motivation and impulse control. Another affect of meth on preschool children is developmentally delays they can be developmentally delayed in speech language and fine motor skills. They continue to have sensory issues. They can be diagnosed with ADHD and OCD because of the exposure.
Some of the effects are not just from the drugs themselves but because of the treatment by their parents who were on drugs. The behavior problems found in these children can sometimes be because of living in an unstable home. If they’re used to chaos sometimes they feel the need to create chaos so that they feel comfortable. They also have nutritional issues often they are malnourished because their parents don’t pay attention to what they’re eating or even if they’re eating. You may find that children tend to over eat and hoard food after being removed from an environment like a meth house. Children that lived in meth houses often are exposed to violence, whether it was to others or to thems abuse is very common. Meth can cause people to be violent and angry. Along with that also goes the exposure to sex whether it be that they were sexually abused or they witnessed sexual encounters, this happens because meth makes people feel more sexual and they don’t have the ability to distinguish the children in the room or that they are with children. Children coming from these types of homes have often been neglected or not given any attention. This is partially why they have so many developmentally delayed areas. They’re often unsupervised especially during the parents crashes which is very unsafe the children. They could leave the home which is what happened with us. Meth users often forget that they have children to care for after using meth.
In conclusion if you were fostering a child or children that have been exposed to meth you are in for a long road ahead but it doesn’t mean that they can’t overcome these issues. Be sure to get early testing and support for yourself and the child.

Thank you for following along as I raise these beautiful souls.

Comments are welcome!

Please watch my episode about children’s exposure to meth on my video blog.