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This study examined the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) compared with physically healthy children and the impact of IBD and steroidal side-effects on children's HRQOL. The HRQOL of 49 children and adolescents (ages 10 to 18 years) with IBD and their parents who completed the Child Health Questionnaire was compared to that of a sample of physically healthy children (N=49). Caregivers of children with IBD reported that their children's physical and psychological health were more limited and that they experienced more emotional worry and greater impact on their personal time compared to caregivers reporting on healthy same-age children. Children and adolescents reported worse HRQOL than physically healthy children in only one domain: general health. Children and adolescents with more IBD-related and steroidal symptoms had less adequate HRQOL as reported by their parents. Limitations in HRQOL were most pronounced in children who experienced more frequent IBD-related symptoms together with symptoms of steroidal side effects.

Prenatal cocaine exposure may have long-term negative effects on child developmental outcomes, but prior studies have been contradictory. We followed 408 infants (212 cocaine-exposed (CE) and 196 non-exposed (NCE)) to 6.5 and 12 months of age, administering the Bayley Mental (MDI) and Motor (PDI) Scales and, in a subset, the Preschool Language Scale (PLS). Maternal self-report interviews and infant meconium analyses quantified severity of cocaine exposure. Based on this drug information the cocaine-exposed infants were subdivided into heavy and light exposed groups. Bayley MDI's were lower for CE infants at 6 months (96 ± 8 vs. 98 ± 8, t (335) =-.2.3, p

In 276 infants (132 cocaine-exposed and 144 non-exposed) recruited into a longitudinal study of fetal cocaine exposure at birth, standardized clinical interviews, urine screens, and meconium assays were used to assess the relationship of cocaine and polydrug exposure to infant birth and neonatal neurobehavioral outcomes. Clinical interviews yielded maternal self-report of frequency and severity of cocaine, alcohol, marijuana and tobacco use while pregnant. Meconium assays measured cocaine and its metabolites; cocaine (COC), Benzoylecgonine (BEN), M-O-H Benzoylecgonine (MOH), and cocaethylene (COCETH); marijuana (THC), and tobacco (COT). In addition to measuring birth parameters, Gardner's Neurobehavioral (NB) Assessment was administered at 2 weeks(corrected ages). In regressions controlling for alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use, and GA if warranted, maternal report of higher frequency of days of cocaine use predicted lower infant BW (p