Fetal drug exposure and its possible implications for learning in the preschool and school-age population

For the past 5 years there has been an exponential increase in the use of cocaine, phenylcyclidine hydrochloride (PCP), and other central nervous system (CNS) active drugs. A significant amount of this accelerated usage is in sexually active females, resulting in some urban hospitals reporting positive drug screens in over 16% of the infants born on their busy obstetrical service. There is a growing body of data showing that fetal exposure to cocaine, phenylcyclidine hydrochloride (PCP), and other CNS-active drugs results in infants and children with abnormal brain wave patterns, short-term neurologic signs, depression of interactive behavior, and poor organizational responses to environmental stimuli. Whether such neurologic findings will translate into a significant number of children with learning and behavioral problems needs to be the focus of long-term longitudinal studies of children with fetal drug exposure to cocaine, PCP, and other CNS-active drugs.