Connie E. Morrow
Expressive and Receptive Language Functioning in Preschool Children With Prenatal Cocaine Exposure
objective estimate relationship severity prenatal cocaine exposure expressive receptive language skills fullterm african american children age 3 years methods language assessed age 3 using clinical evaluation language fundamentalspreschool celfp sample included 424 children 226 cocaine exposed 198 noncocaine exposed received preschool language assessments age 3 drawn cohort 476 children enrolled prospectively birth results structural equation modeling used regress expressive receptive language intercorrelated response variables level prenatal cocaine exposure measured latent construct including maternal selfreport cocaine use maternalinfant urine toxicology assays infant meconium results indicated 168 sd decrease expressive language functioning every unit increase exposure level 95 ci 320 015 p 031 consideration fetal growth gestational age correlated response variables receptive language modestly related prenatal cocaine exposure statistically significant results expressive language remained stable inclusion mccarthy general cognitive index response variable expressive language 173 95 ci 330 016 p 031 adjustment maternal age prenatal exposures alcohol tobacco marijuana expressive language 175 95 ci 347 003 p 046 additional child caregiver environmental variables assessed age 3 also evaluated varying statistical models similar results conclusion evidence study supports gradient relationship increased level prenatal cocaine exposure decreased expressive language functioning preschoolaged cocaineexposed children