Children with in utero cocaine exposure do not differ from control subjects on intelligence testing

H. Hurt, E. Malmud, L. Betancourt, L. E. Braitman, N. L. Brodsky and J. Giannetta
Division of Neonatology, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. hurth@aehn2.einstein.edu

OBJECTIVE: To determine if in utero cocaine exposure affects IQ scores in children at age 4 years. DESIGN: A prospective, longitudinal evaluation by blinded examiners of the IQ scores of cocaine-exposed and control children of low socioeconomic status who have been observed since birth. SETTING: A study center in an inner-city hospital. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred one children with in utero cocaine exposure and 118 control children, all of whom were 34 weeks' gestational age or older and nonasphyxiated at birth. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Intelligence quotient scores on a standardized intelligence test, the Wechsler preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence--Revised. RESULTS: Seventy-one cocaine-exposed and 78 control children were administered the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence--Revised. Maternal, natal, and 30-month characteristics of the children tested did not differ from those not tested. Groups did not differ on mean Performance (83.2 vs 87.0), Verbal (79.0 vs 80.8), or Full Scale (79.0 vs 81.9) IQ scores (all P > or = .10 [values for cocaine-exposed children given first]). None of these 3 scores was associated with cocaine exposure in multivariate linear regressions. Although cocaine-exposed and control groups did not differ in outcome, 93% of cocaine-exposed and 96% of control children had Full Scale IQ scores below 100, the mean IQ score for the test. CONCLUSIONS: In an inner-city cohort, IQ scores did not differ between cocaine-exposed and control children. However, both groups performed poorly.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Effects of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure on Special Education in School-Aged Children
Levine et al.
Pediatrics 2008;122:e83-e91.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Altered Resting Cerebral Blood Flow in Adolescents With in Utero Cocaine Exposure Revealed by Perfusion Functional MRI
Rao et al.
Pediatrics 2007;120:e1245-e1254.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Impact of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure on Child Behavior Problems Through School Age
Bada et al.
Pediatrics 2007;119:e348-e359.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Outcome from a Prospective, Longitudinal Study of Prenatal Cocaine Use: Preschool Development at 3 Years of Age
Behnke et al.
J Pediatr Psychol 2006;31:41-49.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Neurocognitive Functioning in Pediatric Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: Effects of Combined Therapy
Shanbhag et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005;159:651-656.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cognitive Outcomes of Preschool Children With Prenatal Cocaine Exposure
Singer et al.
JAMA 2004;291:2448-2456.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Comparison of Intelligence, School Readiness Skills, and Attention in In-Utero Drug-Exposed and Nonexposed Preschool Children
Butz et al.
CLIN PEDIATR 2003;42:727-739.
ABSTRACT  

Drug-Exposed Infants and Developmental Outcome: Effects of a Home Intervention and Ongoing Maternal Drug Use
Schuler et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2003;157:133-138.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Exposure to Violence: Psychological and Academic Correlates in Child Witnesses
Hurt et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2001;155:1351-1356.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Growth, Development, and Behavior in Early Childhood Following Prenatal Cocaine Exposure: A Systematic Review
Frank et al.
JAMA 2001;285:1613-1625.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Inner-city Achievers: Who Are They?
Hurt et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1998;152:993-997.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT