Estimating the neurocognitive effects of an early intervention program for children with prenatal alcohol exposure.

BACKGROUND

Animal studies suggest that early intervention in pups exposed heavily to ethanol in utero can mitigate their neurocognitive damage. No human studies on this promising mechanism exists.

METHODS

Breaking the Cycle is an early intervention program for drug-and alcohol addicted mothers and their young children. We compared BSID-III scores between infants heavily exposed to ethanol and a group exposed only to drugs of abuse, mainly cocaine. Both groups benefited from all aspects of our early intervention program.

RESULTS

The two groups did not differ in any aspect of the BSID-III. These data are in contradistinction to the damage seen in heavily ethanol- exposed infants not benefiting from early intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot suggests that early intervention may mitigate some of the well described damages caused by heavy in utero alcohol exposure.