Prenatal Exposures

Roy Martin, Ph.D., obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Texas. He is a licensed psychologist and a diplomate in professional psychology. He has spent his career training school psychologists, first at Temple University, then at the University of Georgia. At the University of Georgia he served in various administrative positions including Head of the Department of Educational Psychology. He also has been elected president of the School Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association, and is a fellow of three divisions of APA. He is the recipient of the Jack Bardon Award in School Psychology, and the Aderhold Distinguished Professor Award from the University of Georgia. He has been an active contributor to research on temperament in young children, and to prenatal factors that are associated with adverse psychological and educational outcomes for children. Stefan C. Dombrowski, Ph.D., is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He completed a post doctoral fellowship in clinical child psychology at the University of California, Davis Medical Center. He is a Professor and the Director of the School Psychology Training program at Rider University. Dr. Dombrowski is also a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist. He has published widely, including in the areas of child abuse and psychometry. He also is an active researcher in the area of prenatal exposures as they adversely impact children's psychological, behavioral, and educational functioning.  

Themes and Purpose.- Prenatal Central Nervous System Development.- Perinatal Mediators and Markers of Disturbances of Fetal Development: Introduction.- Low Birth Weight and Prematurity: Effects on Child Development Outcomes.- Pre- and Perinatal Anoxia and Hypoxia.- Maternal Illness: Introduction.- Prenatal Infections.- Maternal Chronic Illness.- Nutrition.- Maternal Stress.- Maternal Use of Recreational Drugs.- Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy.- Gestational Exposure to Alcohol.- Maternal Use of Illicit Drugs.- Pollutants and the Development of the Human Fetus: An Introduction.- Air and Water Pollution.- Heavy Metals and Household Chemicals.

From the reviews:
"Martin and Dombrowski's new book, Prenatal Exposures: Psychological and Educational Consequences for Children (Springer, 2008), is well documented and incisive. They collect in one volume an impressive amount of scientific evidence, and they do not stray far from this evidentiary base when drawing conclusions and identifying trends that may inform future research and current practices. Thanks to these characteristics this text is authoritative and, therefore, of particular importance for graduate training in pediatrics, child and school psychology, nursing, and preparation of other professionals who commonly have to estimate the potential impact of proven and purported teratogens. I congratulate the authors on this accomplishment and recommend highly their text for researchers and clinicians alike."R.W. Kamphaus, Ph.D., Dean and Distinguished Research Professor College of Education, Georgia State University
"This text represents a landmark contribution to pediatric and developmental psychology. Understanding the link between prenatal development and lifelong outcomes has become integral to global medical and psychological practice. The authors offer a timely, in-depth, and succinct perspective important for clinicians, practitioners, and policy makers."Martin Mrazik, Ph.D., R.Psych., Clinical Neuropsychologist, University of Alberta
"This volume presents a comprehensive and well-organized integration of research conducted across many fields of study. The book is remarkable in that it strikes a unique balance between scholarship and practicality. Practitioners and students from many disciplines will find this text to be highly informative, useful, and readable."Thomas J. Power, Ph.D., Professor of School Psychology in Pediatrics Director, Center for Management of ADHD, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Universityof Pennsylvania
"This book provides valuable insights into the challenges facing many of our children, our most valuable assets. As one can quickly see, the playing field is not a level one, even long before the child is born. Many of the factors addressed in this book are interlinked to extreme poverty and teen pregnancy, two of our most pressing national emergencies. Physicians, educators, child advocates and policy makers will all find this information crucial in their work and compelling in their search for the transformation of our future."Elisa Silverstein, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri--Kansas City School of Medicine Attending Physician Pediatric Emergency Department Children's Mercy Hospital
"The book provides a concise overview of the research that has been conducted in this relatively young field of study. … the book will please researchers and graduate students interested in human development, particularly those interested in cognitive and behavioral disorders. For the beginning researcher … the book provides an excellent introduction to the topic and could be an ideal book to read when one is in the process of deciding on a long-term program of research." (Shelia M. Kennison, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 54 (1), January, 2009)
"I am currently writing up my PhD on maternal lifestyle in pregnancy and child behavioural development and thought I would e-mail to let you know that your book "Prenatal Exposures" has been a fantastic resource! It is a great summary of what we know of these prenatal influences, and I think the writing style is such that it can be readily understood external to the academic context."Monique Robinson, Research Officer/PhD Candidate, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research West Perth, Australia