Said in a prior posting that I would talk some more on the Drug Issue here. I watched the TV program on the Drug Epidemic in a three part series on WTATP. It was not bad, but missed a bit.
I especially enjoyed the part on the "Cuddling Room" where some really special ladies held babies who were born addicted to one drug or another. It was a bit heart wrenching to see one so young and defenseless abused by its mother even before birth.
There have been comments that we are losing a third generation to drugs and it is far more true than most will understand. I was interested in the potential Recidivism Rate for babies who were born addicted. Was not able to readily find any numbers? But that may have been because this tremendous problem is so new that the babies have not grown up enough to provide such data. Thinking on it, it seems the problem has only worsened in the past 10- 15 years. In some areas such as large Urban places, I am not sure the interest is there? But did find some that I thought might give some insight? Here are issues that a Mother using Drugs be it Legal or Illegal and even Alcohol which is not given the attention it also needs:
(From Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches Inc.) This seems to be an Addiction Program Center so I will not provide anymore contact info. If interested in a placement and I would not be able to tell anything about costs/ treatments, one can locate via a search. But the info I was able to show below says a whole lot on what is going wrong with the newborns up into their developing years and its potential effects later in life. This is now that "Third Generation"
There are many, many sites to discuss various drugs and their impacts. Doesn't matter what one is using, one is suffering even if in total denial as are the families born and or unborn yet. So may I suggest for those with an issue in their lives to not give up till one is sure beyond any shadow of a doubt that they have done all they can to help the person. Especially if she is using and pregnant.
"Most of what a pregnant woman consumes is passed on to her baby through the placenta. No amount of drugs or alcohol is safe for a child, and expecting mothers would be wise to stop abusing these substances during their pregnancy and even during breastfeeding. Drug abuse during pregnancy can lead to a miscarriage, low birth weight, increased risk for illness, intellectual disabilities and even death.
Cocaine use during pregnancy may cause the expecting mother\'s water to break prematurely, and babies who are exposed to the drug in the womb will be at a higher risk for stroke, deformed limbs, brain damage and long-term behavioral problems, among many other potential health difficulties.
No amount of drugs or alcohol is safe for a child (my emphasis). Alcohol abuse during pregnancy can also be devastating to an infant\'s health. A fetus is incapable of processing alcohol in the same way that an adult can, because the alcohol is more concentrated and prevents nutrients and oxygen from reaching developing organs. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to the development of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). This condition covers a wide range of symptoms, including:
- A Small Head
- Dental Malformations
- Delayed Development
- Intellectual Disability
- Kidney Defects
- Heart Problems
- Poor Coordination
- Difficulties with Speech, Movement and Social Skills
- Deformed Limbs or Fingers
- Below Average Height and Weight
- Behavioral Disorders
Drinking alcohol during the first trimester of a pregnancy is extremely dangerous, as this is the time when vital organs are being developed in the fetus. It is especially important that women stop drinking before trying to get pregnant. Several weeks may pass before the pregnancy is discovered, and drinking during this period could put a newborn at risk of several health problems, as indicated above.
Consuming alcohol while breastfeeding is also dangerous because alcohol passes through the body and into the breast milk easily. Continual exposure to alcohol in breast milk can lead to problems with mental and motor development".
One can extend the issues to any of the Drugs in play today and what will be the possible issues in later years.
It is so common to hear "I want to stop, but just can't". "I need (fill in blank), to make it through the days and nights". "I will stop before the baby is born". All are what is called denial and of course will achieve nothing.
Years ago, I knew a man who was an Alcoholic. He wore Service Chips from AA like the Eagle Scouts wear their Merit Badges on Bandoleers. He had twenty on one and twenty two on another. I asked why he had not just continued to fill in one before starting another? He replied to me that he had been sober for either the twenty or the twenty two years. But one morning he said he woke up in Texas. He lived in Tacoma, Washington. Said he had lost two weeks that he did not have a clue what he had done or where he had been. His car was gone and he never found it, and he did not have a penny in his pockets. Had to call Tacoma to get money to return there. So he had started the second Bandoleer in his sobriety.
The point is that there is NO CURE. One can be in remission, but that will only last until the next frustration, hurt, bad day or running into an old friend happens. This can and will hold true not just with Alcohol, but any other legal or illegal substance one misuses.
Any and all of the Drugs we imbibe through whatever means can and in many cases will KILL us. Might be a vehicle wreck, heart attack or stroke or some other disease. No matter Alcohol, even Cigarettes and the above noted other drugs are one and the same. I would call it Suicide through Abuse.
I am lucky that I don't smoke, drink or misuse any drug in any form. But after watching members of my family and very close friends, I know I am also not immune to disaster anymore or any less than any other person.
This posting was mostly about the babies not yet born. But it affects in many ways those children/ families dealing with any active user. There is a huge and unseen issue in all of out Communities that need better addressed. We are losing that "Third Generation".
It is a Blessing to have those ladies in the "Cuddling Room" for those babies. 'nuff said'