Children exposed to methamphetamine before birth have increased cognitive problems

In the only long-term, National Institutes of Health-funded study of prenatal methamphetamine exposure and child outcome, researchers found youngsters exposed to the potent illegal drug before birth had increased cognitive problems at age 7.5 years, highlighting the need for early intervention to improve academic outcomes and reduce the potential for negative behaviors, according to the study published online by The Journal of Pediatrics.The researchers studied 151 children exposed to methamphetamine before birth and 147 who were not exposed to the drug.