Play in children with prenatal cocaine exposure: development and implications for assessment

Play assessment of children with prenatal cocaine exposure is discussed in terms of the developmental play level and behaviors manifest during spontaneous play and the clinical implications for assessing such children. Studies have found a number of subtle differences in the play skills of children with prenatal cocaine exposure compared to children with no cocaine exposure, however, sensitive outcome measures are needed to capture these subtle developmental differences. Suggestions for assessing play, an early developmental skill, using multidimensional play analyses that incorporate developmental play levels and associated play behaviors, such as initiation and perseveration are discussed.