WITH RISE IN MATERNAL DRUG USE, SHOULD BABIES BE TESTED?

A study from Columbia University has found that abused and neglected
children in this country doubled in the last 10 years, fueled by drug and
alcohol abuse. It has been estimated that 100,000 to 400,000 infants were
born with medical problems due to maternal drug use during pregnancy.

These problems potentially result in long-term developmental problems.

Ask any teacher you know about the growing number of "crack babies" they
have seen coming through the educational system, and the developmental
problems these children face. You will be told these children demonstrate
behavioral problems in the classroom and have great difficulty learning.

We clearly know that there is a relationship between drug abuse and child
abuse and neglect.

The Maryland Citizens' Review Board for Children found in 2002 that in 74
percent of all cases in which children under age 2 were removed from
families because of abuse or neglect, at least one parent was a substance
abuser.

The Columbia report tells us "children who survive abuse and neglect are
angry, antisocial, physically aggressive and violent."

Studies have long told us that our prison populations have a much higher
percentage of inmates who were abused and neglected as compared to the rest
of the population. Our common sense should tell us this without the studies.

Many believe that no single system can effectively deal with the problem of
caretaker substance abuse, but that it requires a combined effort from the
medical, treatment, social services and law enforcement communities.

A policy proposal from members of the National District Attorneys
Association encourages health care providers to develop programs that
routinely screen, identify, educate and treat substance abuse before
addiction occurs. This would include the testing of newborn infants for the
presence of drugs.

It is argued that the testing of infants for drug exposure during pregnancy
will give health care providers an opportunity to identify those mothers
abusing drugs. They can then be screened to determine the nature of the
abuse and possible addiction. There could then be steps taken for
appropriate treatment programs. Infants would then benefit from drug free
parents and a non-abusive home environment.

Babies exposed to drugs during pregnancy often have developmental, physical,
emotional and behavioral problems. These may include abnormal brain wave
patterns, short-term neurologic signs, depression of interactive behavior
and poor organizational responses to environmental stimuli. The medical
treatment and educational cost to society for these children is great.

Drug testing at birth would help identify these children so they can be
treated immediately by medical personnel or referred to other professionals
for appropriate care.

Lastly, many would argue that mothers who use or abuse illicit drugs during
pregnancy are guilty of child abuse and neglect, but not all states have
laws that reflect this thinking.

Testing of infants for these drugs could help the appropriate children's
services and law enforcement agencies identify and investigate these cases.
Prosecutions could then occur in states in which this is a crime.

It is a sad commentary on today's culture that it may be necessary to test
innocent infants to determine whether they have illegal drugs in their
systems. However, the alternative of not testing is probably worse.

Failure to test and identify infant victims of drugs dooms them to an
increased possibility of drug addiction without their ever having made the
choice to take drugs. It dooms them to the increased possibility of on-going
health problems that will impact their ability to learn and function in
society. It dooms them to an increased possibility of a life of crime and
prison. And it will not just cost the innocent victim because the taxpayer
will foot the bill for society.

The idea of testing infants for drugs may be startling at first. But the
more you think about it, the more sense it makes.