http://www.steponerehab.com - Can you imagine a baby being addicted to drugs? While the thought may be disturbing, it really isn’t that uncommon. In fact, addicted newborns are becoming more and more common as time passes.
• During pregnancy, a mother and child are connected through the placenta. When the mother uses drugs, the baby feels them, too. The more drug dependent a mother is, the more the baby is affected. Over time, the child can even become addicted. This is especially true with the use of opioids, such as heroin, fentanyl, and oxycodone. Using these drugs during pregnancy can cause Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, also known as NAS. NAS occurs when a child builds a dependency on opioids while in the womb. When the baby is born, they are no longer receiving the drug, so they begin experiencing withdrawal symptoms. This creates a flurry of dangerous side effects for the child, which can be life threatening if left untreated. Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome is a dangerous and unsettling illness. And unfortunately, it is becoming more of an issue as opioid abuse rises. According to drugabuse.gov, cases of NAS increased 5 times from 2000 to 2012, when over 20,000 infants were born with NAS. According to Stanford Children’s health, over half of children exposed to opioids prenatally will feel the effects of withdrawal. These symptoms start as soon as the baby is born, and can persist for weeks afterward.
• Common symptoms of NAS in infants are:
• Tremors
• Seizures
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Poor weight gain
Infants with NAS are often inconsolable. The withdrawals can be so burdensome that they feel they are in constant distress.
This is a traumatic situation for both the baby and the mother. Dealing with a healthy infant is hard enough, but one with NAS is a whole new level of difficulty.Sometimes, the effects of NAS are so extreme that the baby has to be hospitalized.
In severe cases, when the infant is dealing with symptoms such as seizures, a shocking form of treatment is used. The child may be given drugs similar to those the mother took during pregnancy to help curb the withdrawal.
Once stabilized, the infant will have to gradually reduce the intake of the drug until they are weaned off of it.
They basically have to go through drug treatment program as soon as they start their life.
The best way to avoid NAS to to end drug use during pregnancy. That, however, is easier said than done.
For many opioid users, stopping cold turkey isn’t a realistic option.
The threat of harming the newborn may give the mother a willingness to quit drugs. But the crushing withdrawal symptoms can make that next to impossible without medical treatment.
