HSE unlikely to fund assessment for son of drug-using mother

The HSE is unlikely to fund a recommended neurological assessment for a child who may have suffered brain damage due to his mother’s drug use, a court has heard.

Judge Marie Quirke said it was "slightly disturbing" the assessment would not be funded by the HSE despite being recommended by doctors.

During a care review at the Family Court in Dublin on Tuesday Judge Quirke heard that the schoolboy was doing quite well in his foster home.

The lead on the social work team for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, told the court the boy, who has been in care for a number of years, is thriving, is popular in school and interested in activities such as football.

Took drugs while pregnant

During her evidence, a court-appointed guardian, charged with looking after the interests of the child during court proceedings, stressed the need for the boy to have a neuropsychological assessment in a few years’ time, as his mother was a heavy drug user while she was pregnant with him.

The boy’s mother previously admitted that, even during her pregnancy, she consumed “any drugs she could get her hands on”, according to the guardian, and also drank heavily every day while her son was in utero.

In such cases, structural brain damage “is a given”, said the guardian, according to the medical advice she has received, and so a neuropsychological assessment would be useful in terms of designing coping strategies.

She said such an assessment could cost at least €4,500, and the HSE usually only funds these for children who have had brain surgery, the guardian said.

Judge Quirke said it was “slightly disturbing” that even in a case where a service is recommended for a child, the HSE cannot provide it.

She adjourned the case until next month, when an update on a potential assessment could be provided.

“I have a duty to this child, so I can’t ignore something about his welfare,” she said. “There’s too much at stake here.”