Drugs, Alcohol & the Mistreatment of Children

Compared to other children, the children whose parents use drugs or alcohol are three times more likely to be abused and four times more likely to be neglected (Wells & Wright, 2004). This increased risk certainly seems to apply in the case of meth.

Pregnancy

Drug and alcohol use during pregnancy can result in prenatal complications, low birth weight, birth defects, permanent brain damage, increased rates of premature delivery, and abnormal infant behavior (NIDA, 2002; Wells & Wright, 2004).
Children born to mothers who used alcohol in pregnancy are at risk of having fetal alcohol spectrum disorder which causes a range of difficulties in learning and behaviour that last a lifetime. Children born to meth-addicted mothers go through painful withdrawal for weeks or months (Lacour & Gregory, 2004).
Long-term, most children who are prenatally exposed to meth function normally as they get older, though some may have "subtle impairments" that negatively affect regulation of emotions and ability to concentrate, which could put them at risk for behavioural and learning difficulties (Matthias, 2001).

Neglect

When parents use drugs their children often do not have necessities such as food, water, and shelter, and they frequently lack adequate supervision and medical care, including proper immunizations and dental care (NDIC, 2002).
The cycle of meth abuse has a built-in phase when parents usually "crash" and are unable to look after their children (Wells & Wright, 2004).
Children in meth-using families may also face hazards such as used hypodermic needles and razor blades and exposure to toxic substances.

Abuse

Exposure to parents intoxicated by drugs and alcohol may compromise child safety: when high, users often exhibit poor judgment, confusion, irritability, paranoia, and increased violence.
Given the effects it has on libido, children of meth-using parents may be at greater risk for sexual abuse, either by parents themselves or by other adults coming in and out of the home (NCDOJ, 2004).
Brain changes brought on by chronic meth use can impair cognitive function long after a person stops using the drug. Experiments indicate that for up to six months after they stop using, addicts recovering from sustained, heavy meth use may have trouble processing information and may experience anhedonia (inability to experience even the simplest pleasures), depression, and anxiety.

Source: www.practicenotes.org/vol10_n2/know.htm