When you are raising a family member’s child, you might feel overwhelmed by the amount of information – including faulty information – you hear about prenatal substance exposure. To be sure, it’s a steep learning curve to understand the impacts of alcohol on a developing baby’s brain. Learning how opiates impact a child’s ability to learn is a challenge.
It can be helpful to start by breaking down the common myths around prenatal substance exposure. For each myth, there are research-based facts that can help you learn what your grandchild needs while you are raising them.
6 Myths About Prenatal Substance Exposure
Myth #1
Babies who are born addicted are the most impacted.
The Facts:
The truth is that a baby’s dependence at birth does not always accurately predict the impacts they experience as they grow. Many substances affect a child later, in many forms like learning challenges, impulse control, or social skills. Understanding that your grandchild may have been exposed to substances during pregnancy can help you provide the proper support and interventions.
Myth #2
A child’s facial features are a good predictor of the damage caused by the mother’s alcohol use during her pregnancy.
The Facts:
Alcohol exposure impacts facial features in only about 10-15% of children with prenatal alcohol exposure. And only if the mother drank heavily during the first trimester when the baby’s facial features are forming. These features become less obvious as they grow. A developing baby exposed to alcohol – any amount, at any time – during pregnancy can experience serious, on-going impacts. Regardless of your grandchild’s physical features, if you know they were likely exposed, you can educate yourself on their potential needs. Use this information to create a team of specialists for a plan to meet those needs.
Myth #3
If the child’s mother admits to using one drug during pregnancy but not alcohol, then she probably did not drink.
The Facts:
Research shows that most pregnant women who abuse a drug during pregnancy (any drug) are likely to abuse several substances, legal or illegal. This includes drinking alcohol. It’s crucial that you support this child for the impacts of both prenatal alcohol exposure and other substances. You can use this information to talk with your tween and teen grandchildren about the risks of any substances during pregnancy. Help them understand that substance use impairs judgment and weakens decision-making skills.
Myth #4
Hard liquor (also called “spirits”) causes the most damage to a developing baby and, therefore, the worst impacts on a child as they grow.
The Facts:
All types of alcohol, at any time during pregnancy, are harmful to the baby. All alcohol impacts a baby’s development even after they are born. There is no safe type, amount, or time to drink when a woman is pregnant. You need to know this to help your young adult understand that their peers may have the wrong information and many bad decisions come from misinformation.
Myth #5
Social drinking is safe after the first trimester.
The Facts:
Again, there is no safe time for a pregnant woman to drink alcohol. Unfortunately, many women don’t find out they are pregnant before they decide to stop drinking. When you are talking with your grandchildren – especially teens and young adults – about the dangers of alcohol use or abuse, this is an essential point for them to understand about their own choices.
Myth #6
Once a child is born with brain damage caused by alcohol or drug exposure, there’s not much that can help them overcome those impacts.
The Facts:
While children will not outgrow the impacts of prenatal substance exposure, they can go on to become active, productive members of society who thrive! The key to supporting a child with prenatal substance exposure is a combination of factors:
- a loving, stable home life
- early diagnosis
- consistent special education services and intervention
- informed parenting methods to support their brain differences
The good news is that you are getting this combination in place by reading and learning regularly on this site! Keep learning and consider as this grandchild grows how to talk to them about their story and how they are overcoming the early challenges they experienced before joining your home.