BabIes addicted to drugs at birth By: Khalia Jennings

Addicted babies are infants who are born physically dependent on drugs because of drug use by the mother during her pregnancy. Doctors consider babies addicted if they have a high level of exposure to drugs before birth. Each year in the United States some 320,000 babies are born exposed to alcohol and illegally used drugs while in the uterus, or in utero.

This is congenital (present at birth)

Disability that may occur:

  • Problems with development and behavior
  • memory learning understanding
  • Other problems include: damaged respiratory system of the fetus respiratory illness in the infant low birth weight

Discuss all medicines, and alcohol and tobacco use with your health care provider. Ask your health care provider with help stopping as soon as possible if you are:

  • Using drugs non-medically
  • Using drugs not prescribed to you
  • Using alcohol or tobacco
This is a deformed baby from a mothers strong use of drugs

Treatment: Infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome are often fussy and hard to calm. Tips to calm the infant down include measures often referred to as "TLC" (tender loving care):

  • Gently rocking the child
  • Reducing noise and lights
  • Swaddling the baby in a blanket.
  • Several studies have shown that children living with parents in treatment for drug dependence have higher rates of internalizing and externalizing problems than do demographically matched children in the general population

The meth-exposed children were more likely to be emotionally reactive, anxious, and depressed at age 3. And they were also more likely to show aggressive behavior and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity at age 5.

The severity of awareness that babies addicted to drugs

The drug involved The infant's overall health and abstinence scores Whether the baby was born full-term or premature

There are some helpful rehab facilities that woman who are struggling with drugs or any other substance

Sources:https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007313.htm http://www.encyclopedia.com/education/applied-and-social-sciences-magazines/babies-addicted-and-drug-exposedo https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007313.htm

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