RT Book, Section
A1 Usatine, Richard P.
A1 Chumley, Heidi
A1 Foulkrod, Kelli Hejl
A2 Usatine, Richard P.
A2 Sabella, Camille
A2 Smith, Mindy Ann
A2 Mayeaux, E.J.
A2 Chumley, Heidi S.
A2 Appachi, Elumalai
SR Print(0)
ID 1114881013
T1 Substance Abuse Disorder
T2 The Color Atlas of Pediatrics
YR 2015
FD 2015
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 978-0-07-176701-9
LK accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1114881013
RD 2022/08/19
AB A  young  mother  and  her  four  children  are  being  seen  in  a  free  clinic  within  a  homeless  shelter  for  various  health  reasons  (Figure  229-1).  The  woman  is  currently  clean  and  sober,  but  has  a  long  history  of  cocaine  use  and  addiction  (Figure  229-2).  Her  children  span  the  ages  of  3  months  to  5  years.  She  was  recently  living  with  her  mother  after  the  birth  of  her  youngest  child,  but  was  kicked  out  of  her  mother’s  home  when  she  began  to  use  cocaine  once  again.  The  patient  gave  written  consent  to  the  photograph  and  when  she  was  shown  the  image  on  the  digital  camera  she  noted  how  depressed  she  looked.  She  asked  for  us  to  tell  the  viewers  of  this  photograph  that  these  can  be  the  consequences  of  drug  abuse—being  depressed,  homeless,  and  a  single  mom.  Only  time  will  reveal  the  effect  of  this  situation  on  her  four  children.  They  are  at  risk  for  so  many  problems  including  neglect,  abuse,  behavioral  issues  and  being  placed  in  foster  care.  They  are  also  at  higher  risk  of  developing  substance  abuse  disorder.  Being  the  health  care  provider  for  these  children  requires  understanding  the  disease  of  addiction  and  the  consequences  of  this  on  the  family.