Prenatal Exposure to Drugs/Alcohol
JEANETTE M. SOBY
Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, 2006
ISBN 10: 0 398 07634 0 (hbk); ISBN 13: 0 398 07635 9 (pbk), 172 pp. Price: $44.95USD (price not quoted in AUD) (hbk)
Prenatal Exposure to Drugs/Alcohol gives a comprehensive discussion of the effects of substance use, principally alcohol and cocaine, on children who have been exposed prenatally to these substances. It is aimed at a wide audience, including medical and paramedical staff, educators and caregivers who work and live with these children. Jeanette Soby, the author, has decades of experience as a psychologist in working with children who have been exposed to substance use. The book describes the characteristics of young children exposed prenatally to alcohol and cocaine and discusses strategies to minimise the negative effects and maximise developmental and learning opportunities.
The textbook seizes the reader's attention early on, with a statement on the profound effects poor parenting can have on children. On page 6, the author makes an important point: ‘now matter how dedicated teachers are, how good schools are, a great education is not as good as a bad family’ (author's emphasis).
The textbook discusses the known effects of alcohol and cocaine on young children throughout development, from in utero effects to the neonatal period to early – mid-childhood. Included is a detailed discussion of the range of conditions spanning the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), including links to the evidence base on alcohol exposure in utero. While the evidence base is not as well developed for cocaine use, the author appropriately discusses known and postulated effects of cocaine exposure. Importantly, the book does discuss the significant problems with confounders in understanding the effects of substance use on a background of the vast socio-economic disadvantages experienced typically by women who use alcohol or substances.
The book is presented in three sections: a section on background including the relevant literature, a section on learning and development and a third section on the implications of this knowledge, including numerous practical suggestions on how to manage children with significant behavioural difficulties. While, overall, the book is easy to digest, and the evidence base is referenced in the first section, it is not always easy to comprehend the level of evidence being presented as support for statements that have been made. As significant research has been conducted on the postnatal and developmental effects of substance use, the wide range of this literature is almost overwhelming for readers new to this area. Some greater clarity behind the level of evidence would make this section easier to grasp more rapidly. However, the text does use tables and break-out boxes to clarify important points made, this technique is used effectively in ensuring the reader grasps essential points.
There are several highlights in the book. The appendix ‘What is FAS?’ provides a clear and almost terrifying insider's view of what it might be light to be a young child experiencing the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome. The second section of the textbook, discussing development and providing strategies for managing children with significant developmental difficulties, is where the book is particularly effective. The author quite clearly has vast experience in working with carers and educators in managing children with extremely challenging behavioural problems, and well able to provide innovative and practical approaches.
The book is highly recommended to professionals, including teachers and other educators who work with children who have been exposed to substances. The text is also of value to carers of children who have been exposed to substances, although the academic nature of the text would be beyond the comprehension of many lay carers. The book is also useful for health practitioners who work with women who use substances, and children who have been exposed to substances, in expanding their knowledge of thoughtful and practical strategies in working with children with significant behavioural problems related to their parent's substance use.
Adrian Dunlop
Drug & Alcohol Clinical Services,
Hunter New England Health,
Wallsend NSW, Australia
© 2007 Adrian Dunlop