Cocaine Babies; Training Caretakers Of Drug Babies

If good intentions were the major criteria by which we reviewed videos, these two programs would score highly indeed. Unfortunately, there are other factors involved. Sharing some of the same material, these low-budget videos seek to inform the general layperson about the dangers of cocaine abuse causing psychological and physiological damage to offspring. The first title is the better of the two, giving a good overview of the nature, the extent, and the proposed solutions to the problems of cocaine babies. Interviews with addicted, or previously addicted, mothers as well as nurses and caretakers give viewers a first-hand account of both the emotional trauma and the incredible amount of time and effort which are needed to care for the babies, who are often irritable, and sleep poorly. Training Caretakers of Drug Babies, on the other hand, is too loose in its terminology to be very useful. While giving general hints about ways to lessen the stimulation level of these babies, the terms "cocaine babies," "drug babies, ""crack babies," and "premature babies" are all used in an interchangeable fashion. The tape concludes with a standard section on keeping pills out of the reach of children--a segment which seems out of context with the rest of the material. The first title is recommended, more for its bringing the awareness of a problem to the general public, than for any actual merit; the second is not. (Available from: Visions Video Productions, 1505 N. Visscher, Suite 205, Tacoma, WA 98406.)