Treatment For Babies Born Addicted To Drugs

One of the most common treatments that is still provided to help babies born in this condition is the administration of morphine which is slowly decreased as the baby weans off of the opioids he or she is addicted to.

Treatment for babies born addicted to drugs.

Sometimes methadone and other medications are used but doctors try to use as little meds as possible. Some babies are born addicted because their mothers are receiving pharmacological treatment for drug addiction with methadone or buprenorphine. While it is certainly possible that addicted pregnant woman are using illicit drugs obtained through the street market it is estimated that in tennesse 60 of all mothers who gave birth to babies with nas were using the drugs legally and obtained the drugs with a valid prescription through a legitimate doctor. The severity of the learning or developmental milestones common to infants and babies will depend on the drug and the severity of drug use in the pregnant mother according to the american council for drug education.

Babies exposed to drugs in utero may experience developmental consequences including impaired growth birth defects and altered brain development. In 2010 1 374 babies were born addicted to drugs because their mothers were users a 42 percent increase from the year prior 1. Babies who are born addicted to drugs can be treated either with or without medication and if medical interventions are necessary physicians typically use morphine. Drug use during pregnancy may also lead to miscarriage or pre term labor.

These babies may need to stay in the hospital for weeks or months after birth. In most cases this medication is only needed for a few days. A baby born addicted to drugs may experience delays in learning from rolling over to crawling to walking and later on in school. When the infant feels better the medication can be stopped without tapering.

Understanding the risks and delays associated with prenatal drug exposure is one defense against many of the issues these individuals face. Other mothers are actively addicted to heroin cocaine or other illegal drugs. Most cocaine exposed infants do not need any medication but if the infant is excessively irritable she may benefit from a short course of phenobarbital. Breastfeeding if the mother is in a methadone or buprenorphine treatment program without other illicit drug use some babies with severe symptoms need medicines such as methadone or morphine to treat withdrawal symptoms and help them be able to eat sleep and relax.