Elsevier

The Journal of Pediatrics

Volume 159, Issue 5, November 2011, Pages 766-770.e1
The Journal of Pediatrics

Original Article
Examining the Health and Drug Exposures among Canadian Children Residing in Drug-Producing Homes

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2011.05.044Get rights and content

Objective

To examine the health and well-being of children residing in residences where drug production is occurring.

Study design

Starting in January 2006, children identified by police and the Children’s Aids Society in the York region of Ontario, Canada, were referred to the Motherisk Program at the Hospital for Sick Children for pediatric assessment of their general health and well-being, with specific focus on illicit-drug exposure. We used a standard protocol to collect all available medical and environmental history, conducted physical and neurologic examinations, and collected hair for analysis of illicit drugs.

Results

In total, 75 children, at the mean age of 6.5 years, were referred to us after being removed from homes where marijuana was grown (80%) or other operations linked to drug production were occurring (20%). Overall, rates of health issues in this cohort fell below reference values for Canadian children. Of the hair tests, 32% were positive for illicit substances. In the majority there were no clinical symptoms related to these drugs.

Conclusion

The majority of children removed from drug-producing homes were healthy and drug free. Comprehensive evaluations should be performed on a case-by-case basis in order to determine what is ultimately in the best interest of the child.

Section snippets

Methods

Since January 2006, children from drug-growing homes in the Toronto area identified by police and the Children’s Aid Society were referred to the Motherisk Program at the Hospital for Sick Children for assessment of their general health and well-being, with specific focus on exposure to illicit drugs. Upon discovering children in these dwellings, police routinely called the Children’s Aid Society, which removed them immediately from their homes and families. We were then asked to examine the

Results

The mean age was 6.5 years (range 2 months to 15 years). Among marijuana-growing homes, less than 25% (9/37) had 1 child; the majority being inhabited by families of multiple children (>75%, or 28/37). Of the children who came to the consultation, 26 (34.7%) were accompanied by somebody other than their parents because custody had been taken away from the parents, at least temporarily. Of the children, 45 (60%) were of Asian ethnicity (Chinese or Vietnamese), 28 (37.3%) were Caucasian, and 2

Discussion

Despite our findings that 30% of the children in our study tested positive for drugs of abuse in their hair, we found that the vast majority were in good health at the time of examination, which was within 1 to 2 weeks from their removal from their homes. The rates of the mostly minor health issues observed were well within the range expected in Canada and other developed countries (Table I). The current protocol followed by Police and Children’s Aid Societies has been based on the assumption

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    Supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. Funding was received from the Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program and University of Toronto Fellowships (to M.M.); Lactation, Hospital for Sick Children, Ivey Chair in Molecular Toxicology, University of Western Ontario (to G.K.); Clinician Scientist Training Program, Hospital for Sick Children (to F.G-B). The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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