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How Parental Substance Abuse Affects Children
I. Prenatal or postnatal use of drugs or alcohol can mean health, mental,
social and emotional issues for a child
A. When a parent has a substance abuse problem, it affects the children.
1. The trust between child and parent can be damaged or destroyed.
2. There are also a number of medical issues that can occur with a child who was
exposed to drugs or alcohol by their mother in the prenatal stage of life such as
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or contraction of an infectious disease
B. The substance abuse of a parent has a lasting and apparent effect on all young
children.
1 The use of drugs and alcohol is not necessarily considered addiction or abuse.
2. For a child with a parent who uses drugs or alcohol, there is a strong likelihood
they will experience psychosomatic illness and complaining often about not feeling
well.
II. Parental substance abuse raises children’s risk to abuse substance or drugs.
A. When a parent has a substance abuse problem, it affects the children.
1. The trust between child and parent can be damaged or destroyed.
2. Behavioral disorders such as aggression, rage, physical violence, temper
tantrums, verbal outbursts
B. Parents who are substance abusers may knowingly or unknowingly be causing a
number of problems for their child.
1. Substance abuse in a parent can lead to child abuse and neglect.
2. Children can experience depression including symptoms like fatigue, listlessness,
and no interest in pleasurable activities.
III. About nine percent of children who live in the United States
have at least one parent that they live with who abuses alcohol and/or drugs.
A. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the result of a mother drinking alcohol while she is
pregnant.
1. Damage to the fetus is more common with a large intake of alcohol.
2. One or more drinks per day is connected with infant growth
retardation.
B. An infant who has been exposed to…