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When a pregnant woman uses addictive drugs (illicit or certain prescription drugs), she puts her baby at risk for a number of problems. Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is a term for a group of problems a baby experiences after birth when withdrawing from exposure to narcotics or other addictive substances such as tobacco. These can be long-term, mental or physical in nature and are always harmful to the development of a child. NAS is on the rise all over the world, including central Ohio. Listen in as we discuss NAS and how Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s neonatal services staff have worked to combat its rise in central Ohio. Joining me are Erin Keels, manager of the neonatal nurse practitioners at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Jackie Schnieder, a neonatal pharmacist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Barry Halpern, MD, a neonatologist and Medical Director for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Special Care Nursery at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, OH.
One Comment
I would like to know why these mothers are not charged with something, ie child endangering? These babies did not ask for this and to sit and watch what they go through is awful, I know I have a grandson there and his mother does not care she is going to have more kids until she gets a daughter, she used more heavely when she knew she was having a boy, she doesnt have custody of the first 3 and the 4th little boy almost died due to he got a hold of some pills and spent several days a children’s. Where is the hope for these boys to get a way from her. Help the boys, she is addicted and will never let the pills goes not even to say her own kids. Please share how to get the boys to safety.