re: crack babies - media hyperbole - or not?
Researchers also found that the rate of mental retardation in cocaine-exposed children at age 2 (13.7 percent v. 7.1 percent in the non-exposed group) is 4.89 times higher than expected in the general population. And the percentage of children with mild delays (37.6 percent in the exposed group v. 20.9 percent in the non-exposed group) requiring intervention was almost double the rate of the high risk, non-cocaine group. Researchers speculate it is likely that these children will continue to have learning problems and an increased need for special educational services at school age.
Another important note from the study is that cognitive delays could not be attributed to exposure to other drugs or a large number of other variables, including inadequate prenatal care, caregiver or birth mother intelligence, psychological distress, postnatal drug exposure or a low quality home environment.
Cocaine.org