[dustspot]

I am considering adopting a 2 year old girl that tested positive for cocaine. Who knows - she may have FAE as well...she is a little under weight (22 pounds) and acts more like an 18 month old then a 2 year old.

She is quite calm and sleeps well. She also minds very well. I am wondering, could this all change? Does Add or adhd just happen overnight? i know that can be a side affect of drug-exposed children, so I would like to hear some of your stories in this area.

[bumpkin]

Why do you think she has ADD???

I'm assuming that you mean she is developmentally at an 18 month old stage, I think it's quite common for there to be a delay in children who have been placed in foster care. 18 months for a 24 month old doesn't seem like that big of a delay - many children develop at different speeds. When we were identified as the pre adoptive family, we were able to speak with the children's foster parents, pediatricians, social worker etc... Can you speak with them to explore if she is showing signs of FAE or ADD??

I think that many drug exposed children seem to exhibit the consequences of their exposure as a variety of learning disabilities which you may not see until school.... Then again, bio children don't show till then too.

MAny, MANY children exposed to cocaine and other drugs are developmentally on target and really fine. I hope you are able to speak with the people directly involved with her. . . and call your ped if you need to.

good luck
bumpkin

[Dr. Art]

If you have concerns, I'd strongly urge you to have the child evaluated by a developmental pediatrician who has experience with prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol. You can find one at your regional Univeristy Hospital or Children's hospital. That should help you understand the situation and then feel better about making an informed decision. You might also have her evaluated by an early-child intervention team and have the Vindland Adaptive Behavior Scales administered to assess her true developmental level.

regards