Drug abuse during pregnancy

A detailed Summary of Drug abuse during pregnancy

Child maltreatment is defined as intentional harm to or avoidable endangerment of, anyone less than 18 years of age. Thus, child maltreatment includes both abuse-deliberate action that is harmful to a child's well being-and neglect-failure to appropriately meet a child's basic needs. An 18-year-old mother that is using drugs during pregnancy is guilty of child abuse and neglect. A baby does not have the option of saying "Mommy I don't feel like getting high today." It is a mother's responsibility to love and nurture a child while it is in her womb.

A mother that endangers the well-being and life of her child as well as themselves should not be allowed to parent that child after it is born. On the other side of the coin, how can a mother that has used abused drugs throughout her pregnancy take care of a baby if she is going to be high all the time? She will not all of a sudden get a conscience after the child is born and decide to become a good, loving, nurturing parent. It did not happen during the nine months of pregnancy, it wouldn't happen after the child is born. Also, with the child being born deformed and mentally handicapped, there is way this mother is capable of providing adequate care. The mother will more than lik

ely suffer a lot of guilt at seeing what she has done to her baby. A special needs baby will need a lot of care which will also put a lot of emotional strain on the mother, which will lead to increased drug use. I think the right thing to do would be to have responsible relatives look after the baby until the mother can enter some type of substance abuse treatment which can often take years. Some expert's feel that drug treatments will succeed is tremendously increased if mothers are allowed to keep their children. Society and the experts are divided on this controversial issue.

The next requirement would be to perform community service at a facility for the mentally and physically challenged. This will allow a user to see the impact that drug abuse has on not only a mother but the child and whoever the care takers are. Let her experience first hand what it is like to take care of a disable child. This will also prepares the mother when she has her child returned to her, she will have some idea of what is to be expected of her. The last mandatory condition would be to have random drug screenings. This will hopefully help in the mother's quest to stay drug free. So you see, one way or the other society does pay for the transgressions of these drug-addicted mothers. Removing the child from the mother is only a band-aid solution. What has to take place is education. And education should start at a young age.

Another concern is, after the child is born with numerous physical and emotional problems, it will become a social welfare issue; the mother is going to r

Some common words found in the essay are:
, child born, human development, development class, human development class, substance abuse, child mother, child maltreatment, child returned, using drugs, life child, parenting classes,

Approximate Word count = 1060
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Science