Title: The pathway from the use of drugs by women during pregnancy to learning   disabilities in adolescence

Aim and introduction

Many pregnant women take drugs to ensure the health of the baby and their own during pregnancy. Most of these drugs ensure the healthy living of the children, but there are drugs that may have long-term effects on the health of the child. The aim of this paper is to show how the drugs a mother takes while pregnant can lead to learning disabilities in adolescence and the evidence-based interventions to prevent this trend. Recent statistics shows that access to drugs for pregnant women has increased thereby increasing the number of women using drugs in pregnancy from between the year 2007 and 2010 which had seen a 5.3% increase. This is also true for other drugs and alcohol as well according to a report by the Australian Bureau of statistics of 2010.

Current approaches to policy and/or practices and/or interventions

The problem of learning disability in adolescence has been hard to eradicate due to the procedures and steps being taken. It is partly because the agencies and researchers into the problem fail to understand that the problem is a result of a process right before conception. Non-governmental organizations are offering free education and sensitization of pregnant women on the effects of drug use to their unborn children, an initiative that is helping intervene right from the cause of the problem. There is also the restriction of sale of drugs that are believed to cause this problem by the board. This is, however, not the best approach by the board since there is easier access to drugs by the pregnant mothers without necessarily going through the right legal channels.

Apart from ensuring that the pregnant women access the right drugs and the best practices there is no education to the members of the public on the steps to be taken for the children suffering from the problem. With many of the children suffering being labelled as weak and are not given the right care, the problem is set to persist. The pathway to this problem is sleeping problem during infancy that is a problem that is not properly tackled before it escalates in a person’s adulthood.

Pathways analysis

The theoretical pathway from the use of drugs by women during pregnancy to learning disabilities in adolescence is shown in the illustration below:

Link 1: Women drugs in pregnancy and sleeping problem in infancy

Sheila’s mother Sandra was a single mother who had to pay the bills while at the same time looking after his folks while she was pregnant with Sheila. She was working two jobs and barely had enough sleep to make ends meet. In order to make sure, she was productive while at the same time strong enough to manage the two jobs, she used to take a lot of over the counter medication. This affected the growth and development of Sheila as from the fetal stage into her infancy.

Women drugs in pregnancy are usually due to the mother wanting to look out for their well-being and that of the child they are carrying. Although the health of the baby comes first for pregnant women the drugs that they take may have adverse effects on the fetal development thereby causing complications in the child’s life (Priest and Attawell, 1996). Taking too many drugs without consulting a doctor has negative effects on the proper growth and development of the child. Studies show that women who use drugs during pregnancy, their children are at a higher risk of developing complications than for those who do not (Cohen, 2001). The risk is even higher for the women taking drugs with no prescription or without consulting a qualified medical practitioner.

According to Cristoph, (Christoph, 2009) the pregnant women who regularly visit a medical institution for medical check-ups and advice on the health and development of their children reduced the risk of complications in child development significantly. According to the doctor from a sample of 169 mothers who frequently visited the hospital only five had children who developed complications.

Sleeping problem in infancy is as a result of poor cognitive development of a child (Priest and Attawell, 1996). This is a problem that is prevalent in mothers who take drugs during pregnancy especially those without prescription. Researchers have found that drug intake by the mothers has drastic effects on the growth of a child. Many pregnant women expose their unborn children to many substances and chemicals found in drugs that may cause poor brain development (Gilstrap, 1999). The medications people take in most instances are too strong making t detrimental to the unborn child who depends on the immune system and health of the mother to survive. Taking the drugs throughout the pregnancy period has catastrophic effects on the child as they may lead to weakening the abilities of the child.

The sleeping problem in infants is evident among children who cannot concentrate for a long period and sleep regularly as infants. Children with this problem have low retention (Priest and Attawell, 1996). There are studies that suggest that only taking drugs such as alcohol, cigarettes and hard drugs such as cocaine by the mother causes this problem. However, this study is false since although intake of these substances may hike the risk of this problem and other more critical problems taking of other drugs without prescription is a cause of the problem, as well.

(Hemmi et al., 2011) (Hemmi et al., 2011). The age of the children assessed ranged from 3-6yrs. This is apparent that although the risk is high the problem is influenced by other factors.

Link 2: sleeping problem in infancy and learning disability in adolescence

Sheila was uncharacteristically lazy in school and did not perform well in academic work. She was also not talented in sporting activities as she loathed any form of training and exercise.

Sleeping problem in children is a hindrance to the healthy growth and health of the child. Children who engage in a host of activities during the day engage and exercise their minds constantly thereby opening up their minds and expanding their knowledge. Children with this problem, however, are rather inactive which does not help in improving their cognitive abilities. The education curriculum in many schools all over the world understands the importance of engaging the mind through various activities to improve the retention capacity of a student. A child with this problem is less involved and does not concentrate for too long.

Children facing this problem are looked down on by their fellow peers as they are not good performers and are poor in most aspects of life. It takes a toll on the children and their self-esteem making them believe themselves to be failures. Studies show that children with this problem usually confine to themselves and lack self-belief (Hart and Ksir, 2011). The inability to concentrate and have an expansive mind to conceptualize the facts makes learning difficult. The cognitive development is the part of their normal growth that is deterred making it difficult to have the normal retention capacity of their peers.

The learning disability in adolescence is the culmination of the sleeping problem in infancy. A child who has suffered from a sleeping problem lacks the skills and mental capability to have the necessary traits and attributes to be a good learner in the early adulthood. Poor learning and retention of important experiences throughout his/her life as a child can only lead to learning disability in adolescence. Studies have showed that children with good learning skills transmit these attributes into their adulthood. In comparison to children suffering from cognitive problems they endure learning disabilities in their adolescence (Astberg and Hagelin, 2011). The sleeping problem acts as a hindrance to the learning ability of a child as there is no expansive thinking. This problem eradicates the ability and willingness of a child to challenge himself and compete with others that are essential elements to improve the learning abilities of an individual.

Researchers have found that the children who engage in multiple activities and responsibilities have higher learning experience in their adolescence (Hemmi et al., 2011). A study conducted in a school setting showed that bright students engage in many activities and are in many cases given many responsibilities. Students who do not actively participate in school activities are found to have weaker learning abilities (Hemmi et al., 2011). The adolescents who have had a sleeping problem find the learning process difficult for they have not trained their minds well enough to handle the huge amount of information and learning objectives. Sleeping problems, however, are not the only cause of learning disability in adolescence as other factors need to align for this to happen. The sleeping problem, just like the drug use by the pregnant women, increases the risk of learning disability, however, other factors affect the outcome.

There are researchers who are of the view that the learning disability is in not related to the sleeping problem in infancy. While conducting this research researchers used a sample of children with no sleeping problem and those with the problem. They were monitored into their adulthood, and their tests revealed that the difference between the two groups was only 2% that the researchers termed as insignificant (Hemmi et al., 2011). This is not accurate as the group tested was a control and was not subject to the same treatment present where no one is closely monitored. For instance in the case of a child like Sheila whom her mother supported their family through working two jobs she was exposed to this reality making it difficult for her to have the learning ability of other students.

Summary of pathways analysis

In summary, the pathway analysis reveals the importance of proper care and medication during pregnancy to women. Although there has been research conducted to evaluate the difference in how severe the effects of different drugs are to the health of the child, efforts to understand the pathway as well as other contributing factors have not been well established. However, from the pathway analysis it is clear that there is a need for efforts to be made to prevent the problem at its source and if not proper structures to mitigate the effects, as a result. The pathway analysis also illuminates the signs for one to look for in their children so as to ensure proper growth and development.

Suggestions for intervention and/or policy changes

The main and most efficient way to avert this problem is to stop it at the source. Looking at the links in the pathway it is clear that all other policies are mitigating factors to an already escalated problem that could have been easily stopped at its inception. The main intervention process is sensitization and education of pregnant women on prenatal care of the unborn children. It is important to sensitize the women and encourage them to visit a doctor to gain advice on the best drugs that they could use without risking the health of their unborn children.

The other policy is the care and support of children with a sleeping problem to ensure their proper cognitive growth. Examining the cognitive abilities of children is a critical aspect in the care of children as only then can one know the children needing extra medical attention (Talan, 2008). Proper management and educating parents of such children on the best practices is also crucial to foster proper growth into adulthood.

Efforts by the board to limit the drugs believed to cause these problems are good, but they are not sufficient. People will get the same drugs from other unlicensed stores and illegal sellers. It would be more fruitful if the board concentrated its efforts on the education of the pregnant women to stop the buying of the drugs from any person or store whatsoever

Conclusion

The problem as depicted in the pathway analysis is huge but at the same time can be easily eradicated. If proper structures and efforts are made to eliminate the menace, the problem can easily be averted.

References

Cohen, S. (2001). The substance abuse problems. New York: Haworth Press.

Gilstrap, L. C. (1999). Drugs and pregnancy. New York: Elsevier.

Hart, C. L., & Ksir, C. (2011). Drugs, society, & human behavior (14th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Hemmi, M. H., Wolke, D., & Schneider, S. (2011). Associations between problems with crying, sleeping and/or feeding in infancy and long-term behavioural outcomes in childhood: a meta-analysis. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 96(7), 622-629.

Priest, J., & Attawell, K. (1996). Drugs in conception, pregnancy and childbirth (Revised ed.). London: Pandora.

Talan, K. H. (2008). Help your child or teen get back on track what parents and professionals can do for childhood emotional and behavioral problems. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Christoph,H.(2009). The Risks Of Drugs In Pregnancy. Inpharma, 200(1), 2-2.

CLICK BUTTON TO ORDER NOW