Great story It's nice to have some good news for a change

Nice Story

I worked for over 20 yrs in the addiction industry and it is an industry with all the agendas of any other industry.  Research conducted by the industry has the same biases as any other industry ie dollar bills.  It's business just like any other!! 

When all the hype was going on about crack babies, there were many, many researchers talking an entirely different line.  Many things like physical environment, diet, parenting, emotional environment and a host of other factors all play a role just as in any other child's development.  When reading any research, you must look at the agenda of the researcher.  Frankly, the article is stating exactly what was being said by "politically incorrect" researchers long ago. 

"Mothers' curse" ?

more like tax payer curse.

So many children are/were pigeoned holed by supposed experts in research fields. It's true that people have negative starts and health histories. Some are related to their birth conditions and their parents' drug and alcohol abuse. However, these pigeon-holing experts fail(ed) to recognize that nature isn't the whole equation. Nuture plays a huge part, too.

Congratulations to these kids who conquered their poor starts in life. Thank you to the foster and adoptive parents who have contributed so much to their positive upbringings. The human spirit is a wonderful thing. Many good wishes to all of you.

(BTW, the only "mother's curse" I put on my children was, "May you have children just like you were." It's been very effective.)

It is very sad but also a fact, that many babies born to mother's who have abused substances throughout their pregnancies, are permanently impaired with a variety of disorders. I have friends who adopted two children (different Mom's). One proved to be 100% free of any problem issues and has thrived throughout his life. The other was quickly identified as having profound problem issues...ultimately diagnosed with multiple problem issues related to his in utero exposures. He is psychiatrically gravely disturbed to the point of homicidal tendencies, out of touch with reality, and unreachable through any treatment modalities. Opposite ends of the poles but an obvious example of the extremes presenting in these vulnerable little souls. We cannot save them all, but there are a significant number who can grow up to live very productive lives...we owe it to ourselves, to them, and the world at large to step in and make every loving effort possible, to retrieve them and to provide a protective environment for those who are not ever going to be functional.

nuture versus nature

Thanks for a "happy story" Its great to hear about the children who found good homes and defied the odds!

Only one thing missing from they story, and had they shouldered THEIR responsibility - maybe 1/2 of these kids wouldn't have been drug babies:

THE FATHERS

There are "sin" taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, I strongly believe we ought to sin tax rock & rap bands who pander drugs and irresponsible lifestyles, males who sing about women as whores, movie makers who glamorize lifestyles that really are not possible without leaving a wake of damaged lives in your path. Sure - that's a silly idea, but how much sillier to tax cigarettes and alcohol is it? There are probably 5 parents who would adopt a child if they had resources for everyone that is able to. If Hollywood and mainstream media are going to get rich selling dissolute live styles - make them pay for some of the damage.

I am a little annoyed with the bit about babies languishing in hospital nurseries since there were many of us willing to adopt them and the red tape prevented us from helping them. We were a military family with great medical care at our fingertips and the system wouldn't allow us to adopt because we would not be in one state indefinitely but would get transferred. It is not that people didn't want these children.

Snottynozebratt - I think that you make a valid point on your "sin" tax idea however I believe that in order for that to happen you would end up taxing everything because you can literally blame anything on anyone and use any argument around.

I work in a psych facility from what I've seen I think that the biggest area of problems with psych issues or addiction is where are the parents and what type of parenting are they doing??

I agree that mainstream media contributes to some of the problems but I am not too concerned about that because there are always going to be external triggers for anyone to do anything, and I know that there are people who are going to have issues even when they come from the best homelife/environment but I think what parents need to start focusing on more is what they are doing with and for their children.

This story gives a good example of that.

It is amazing that anyone identifies a person by their disability. I have worked with children who happen to have had very real and severe disabilities. They were always children first...and their needs were just another part of who they are/were. U cannot imagine the sheer power of understanding the wants and needs of someone who cannot speak. I will forever remember every child for the last 20 years.

The example children in this article, don't sound much different than kids born of average parents. Some average parents' kids have disabilities and some have addictions and some have almost no problems. I won't say they have no problems because all people have problems, some more than others for sure.

I don't recall all of the negativity of the crack baby prognosis, but I do recall believing their chances of success in life are very slim. I thought most would live on disability for their entire lives, but I did not think, nor did I ever hear they would be a scourge.

So glad to hear this kids got into loving families in spite of it all. And glad to hear they aren't such social menaces as some people had predicted. Ha! They fooled the smart people.

I'd like to hear more stories like this.

I think the study misses in two areas: 1) Yes the crime rate went down, but what crime there is seems to be much more violent than in the past. Lower rates dont make me feel any safer. 2)Kids appear to be more impulsive overall. TV shows like Jackass fed this tendency, and you see kids doing exceedingly stupid things that they post on youtube. Sometimes these actions have negative outcomes.

The article overall seems to draw conclusions prematurely. I dont think the final history of Ryan's potential recidivism is yet written.

My two youngest sons are adopted and both are  fetal alcohol. My youngest was born positive for heroin and cocaine as well as meth-amphetamines. Ironically, my youngest one has done better. He was less exposed to alcohol in utero than his brother. The birth mother was in a methadone program and doing more drinking with the older boy.

Finally, some good news for a change. This kind of article reminds us that even though the news is full of doom and gloom there are still glimmers of light in this world. It's nice to step out of the political hubbub, and see that something turned out right. It's good to see that children judged before they were even truly aware can still beat the odds if given the opportunity. This is the kind of story that reminds me: Anything is possible.

There is a God.

I remember A Maryville Academy in Des Plaines ILL that had a program similar to this If I recall it was the largest in ILLinois or the Country  And I think the Priest  was  Fr Smyth who had a history of Good things for Kid with needs

An ounce of prevention is worth...

For the love of Christ

In other words, be careful of who you brand "the devil".

Great story. In the picture at the beginning of the article, did anyone else wonder where the food was if they were suppose to be eating dinner?

There is no more powerful force than Love.

Great story!

I am an adoptive parent of two beautiful girls who were exposed inutero to methamphetamines. Although there have been some health issues, they are both are doing well and are truly a blessing to me and my husband. The one thing about this article that saddens me is the negative portrayal of foster parents. I understand there are abusive foster parents out there but there are also many caring ones who want to help kids. Unfortunately, the news only talks about foster parents when something bad happens. Many think thatl foster parents become involved for the money, but, truly with the cost of living the amount of money received is minimal.

The children of mothers that are addicted to controlled substinces seem to start with a strike against them. I knew the child of an alcoholic who was very troubled. She and her children were very disfunctional. We can not discount either nature or nurture. The example of the wonderful young man is indeed an example of intelligance an love trumping dumb and out of control.

Just great, now we found an excuse for the parents that use drugs, that crack is Ok....what a bunch of sick people out there.....