Educators often presume that all children prenatally exposed to crack or cocaine will be out of control in classrooms and doomed to failure. This article debunks five popular myths concerning such children. Educators should forgo the notion that these children exhibit similar behaviors. They should consider the variables affecting behavior and…

Presents an overview of 26 children prenatally exposed to crack or cocaine and a case study of one focal child. Notes that the children are in stable home settings. Describes the success in the development of literacy of the majority of the children as they moved through preschool and elementary school. (SG)

Describes the patterns of literacy development in children from stable home environments who were prenatally exposed to crack or cocaine. Finds that the children continued to develop in an age-appropriate manner, with only seven children receiving special education support. Concludes with a case study highlighting the importance of classroom…

Reviews the research on cocaine use and its effect on newborns; examines the popular misconceptions, including the background of children who are exposed; and discusses interventions. The author concludes with a discussion about looking beyond prenatal drug exposure and focusing on the child. Studies looking at these children longitudinally are…

Finds that, at the end of the first year of a six-year longitudinal study, the literacy development of 26 children prenatally exposed to crack or cocaine appeared to be within the parameters of normal literacy development. (SR)