Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 4, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Neurobehavioral functioning in children exposed to narcotics in utero
1California School of Professional Psychology, Fresno 93721.
Insights
Children exposed to narcotics in utero showed significant deficits in cognitive and behavioral development. Methadone-exposed children exhibited more severe issues than those exposed to heroin, raising treatment concerns.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Prenatal exposure to narcotics can impact child development.
- Understanding the long-term effects of in-utero drug exposure is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the neuropsychological and behavioral outcomes of children exposed to narcotics during gestation.
- To compare the effects of heroin versus methadone exposure.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Bender-Gestalt, Quick Neurological Screening Test, and Burks Behavior Rating Scales.
- Compared children with prenatal narcotic exposure to a control group.
Main Results:
- Narcotic-exposed children scored significantly lower on IQ measures and specific cognitive subtests.
- Children showed more pathological results in neurological indicators and behavioral assessments.
- Methadone-exposed children displayed more severe outcomes than heroin-exposed children.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal narcotic exposure is linked to significant cognitive and behavioral impairments.
- Methadone treatment during pregnancy may have more detrimental effects than heroin exposure.
- Further ethical and societal considerations regarding methadone treatment are warranted.
Abstract:
The neuropsychological and behavioral status of children exposed to narcotics in utero was investigated using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, the Bender-Gestalt, the Quick Neurological Screening Test, and the Burks Behavior Rating Scales. The narcotic-exposed children scored significantly lower than control children on Performance and Full-Scale IQs and most of the performance subtests. They scored significantly in the more pathological direction on Hand Skill, Figure Recognition and Reproduction, and Behavioral Irregularities. The narcotic-exposed children were significantly lower on the neurological indicators of the Bender-Gestalt. They scored significantly in the more pathological direction on almost all of the behavioral variables. The children exposed to methadone in utero scored in the more pathological direction than those exposed to heroin so as to raise questions directed toward the societal and ethical implications of methadone treatment.
