The Philadelphia Inquirer: 'Crack baby' study ends with unexpected but clear result

[HeluCopter29]

http://articles.philly.com/2013-07-22/news/40709969_1_hallam-hurt-so-called-crack-babies-funded-study

 

Jaimee Drakewood hurried in from the rain, eager to get to her final appointment at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Ever since her birth 23 years ago, a team of researchers has been tracking every aspect of her development - gauging her progress as an infant, measuring her IQ as a preschooler, even peering into her adolescent brain using an MRI machine.

Now, after nearly a quarter century, the federally funded study was ending, and the question the researchers had been asking was answered.

Did cocaine harm the long-term development of children like Jaimee, who were exposed to the drug in their mother's womb?

The researchers had expected the answer would be a resounding yes. But it wasn't. Another factor would prove far more critical.

 

I'm not advocating for pregnant women to do cocaine but this proved to be an interesting read.  If you're into learning something new.... check it out

[PokerPacker]

I kept reading that study expecting the surprise to be that crack was good for the babies. I guess no discernible effect is surprising, too.

[Elessar78]

At this point, I have to say I'm never surprised at the resilience of the human mind and body. 

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

I'm not really sure what to say. I have always thought the environment someone grows in played a big part, but I didn't think it would be this drastic. I guess nurture won vs nature in this circumstance.

[sean_e_b]

No noticeable effect on development is amazing. Now if we could only get them paid for playing basketball.

[Elessar78]

No noticeable effect on development is amazing. Now if we could only get them paid for playing basketball.

Considering crack is/can be adulterated by a whole bunch of awful stuff . . . I'm REALLY surprised there's no developmental abnormalities. 

 

The type of poverty we have in this country is termed "relative poverty". You're just poorer than your peers. As opposed to absolute poverty you find in Haiti or other parts of the third world. Even if we in the US give people more money, they will still be relatively poorer than their peers. Does the violence, abuse, drug use manifest itself because of misdirected anger because poor people can't afford stuff?

[Hubbs]

So, Philadelphia's a terrible place. We needed a study to figure that out?

[HeluCopter29]

No noticeable effect on development is amazing. Now if we could only get them paid for playing basketball.

Considering crack is/can be adulterated by a whole bunch of awful stuff . . . I'm REALLY surprised there's no developmental abnormalities. 

 

The type of poverty we have in this country is termed "relative poverty". You're just poorer than your peers. As opposed to absolute poverty you find in Haiti or other parts of the third world. Even if we in the US give people more money, they will still be relatively poorer than their peers. Does the violence, abuse, drug use manifest itself because of misdirected anger because poor people can't afford stuff?

 

There are lots of people in the US who are living in relative poverty.  But that still doesn't change the fact that there about 10% of people who are in real poverty and there's lots of good information to back me up on that one/

So, Philadelphia's a terrible place. We needed a study to figure that out?

 

Post of the thread lol

[endzone_dave]

"At age 4, for instance, the average IQ of the cocaine-exposed children was 79.0 and the average IQ for the nonexposed children was 81.9."

 

Cocaine didn't adversely affect kids who are dumber than dirt.  How does it affect kids of normal or higher intelligence.

[Fresh8686]

I'm not really sure what to say. I have always thought the environment someone grows in played a big part, but I didn't think it would be this drastic. I guess nurture won vs nature in this circumstance.

 

Life has shown me that nature vs nurture is an incomplete perspective. Its really nature vs nurture vs self-determination and its up to us to decide which one shapes us most.

[grhqofb5]

I guess this study doesn't take into account the babies who never reach adulthood...  Like the ones who don't get proper medical assistance at or shortly after birth and end up dead.

 

What this study tells me is that the human brain has an incredible ability to recover from trauma, particularly at a young age.  Nothing new on that one.

[Jumbo]

I know all the science isn't in, but I don't think babies should smoke crack. In my house, that type of activity is not ok until you're a teen.

[Special K]

Very much looking forward to being able to smoke crack when I'm pregnant and telling all the concerned mothers at my baby shower to "shove it, ****es!!!!!!"

[Die Hard]

If you don't know how to cook your own smack, then you don't get none.

[Larry]

I know all the science isn't in, but I don't think babies should smoke crack. In my house, that type of activity is not ok until you're a teen.

But then, you probably feel the same way about babies being raised in Philly.

[Kilmer17]

I'd rather my kids smoke crack than live in philly