LANGUAGE ABILITIES OF PRESCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN LIVING WITH COCAINE-USING MOTHERS

Language abilities were assessed in 21 preschool-age children (ages 29 to 70 months) from a day-care center affiliated with a drug treatment program for pregnant and postpartum cocaine-dependent women. All children were living with a cocaine-dependent mother and 60% had also been exposed to cocaine prenatally. Three findings are notable: 1) Sixty percent of the children in the sample showed serious language delays, and the severity of delay was greater for older children. Only 3 of the 21 children showed minimal to no language delay. 2) In contrast to the expected pattern of language comprehension preceding language production, children in this sample showed more impairment in receptive than expressive skills. 3) The severity of language impairment was not associated with prenatal cocaine exposure. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of considering special intervention needs of children from substance-abusing homes and implications for future research.