Pre-school children of amphetamine-addicted mothers. II. Environment and supportive social welfare

Sixty-five children, whose 63 mothers took amphetamine during pregnancy, were followed prospectively with regard to their environmental conditions, during their first four years of life. Nine of the 16 mothers, who gave up drug-taking in early pregnancy, were able to remain drug-free until their children reached four years of age. All but three of the remaining 47 mothers have continued to be addicts. Twenty-two of 52 children (42%), who had initially been left in the care of their mothers, were placed in foster-homes at four years of age. The decision to take the child into custody was often based on several negative factors, as determined by the social worker, such as a continuing addiction, unsatisfactory social conditions (12/22), and neglect (6/22). In many cases the decision was made following the failure of different noncompulsory supportive measures.