Opiod Addiction During Pregnancy: Effects On The Baby

In a study, the US Centers For Disease Control And Prevention has determined that babies exposed to opioids before birth may require special education services by the time they are prepared for school. Many infants are born with an addiction to opioids, a condition that is also known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). These children lag behind other children in school and, therefore, need special services during their growing years.

[su_quote class=”cust-pagination”]“It is time to end the discrimination against people who need treatment for chemical addiction. It is time for Congress to deal with our Nation’s number one public health problem.”— Jim Ramstad [/su_quote]

Compared to other children, babies with NAS had a:

• — 44% likelihood of having delays in development.
• — 36% likelihood of meeting the criteria of the state of learning disability. 
• — 37% likelihood of requiring help with education and development. 

The chances of these children having educational disabilities are higher. Thet could also have issues such as developmental delay and speech or language impairment. The likelihood of the children needing services in the classroom is also higher.

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Where were the studies conducted?

The studies were conducted in Tennessee, where there was a 15 fold increase in children born with NAS between 2002 and 2012. The increase was largely attributed to the prescription drug abuse epidemic, which has been plaguing Americans for quite some time. Some of the drugs used by the mothers included oxycodone and hydrocodone.

Symptoms Displayed by Children Due To Opioid Addictions

Babies born to mothers addicted to opioids generally have a high-pitched cry than other children. They have difficulties in feeding and suffer from jitters and tremors. Furthermore, they sneeze and yawn more frequently and experience vomiting and diarrhea.

Babies with these problems are routinely retained at the hospital until they are weaned away from the addiction by doctors. Teachers in Tennessee have warned that the effects of opioid exposure in the womb can create complications far beyond infancy. The teachers believed that the children could be different by the time they were ready for school, and may have learning problems or additional behavioral problems.

 Research Findings

More than 19% of children with a history of NAS were evaluated for disabilities compared to 14% of the babies who were healthy. More babies with NAS met the criteria set forth by the state for educational disabilities compared to babies without NAS. Therefore, researchers concluded that the modification of local chemical environment within the developing brain cells could cause an untoward effect on how they develop and may lead to the disordered brain development. These views were substantiated by medical officers from New York.

There is a need for further studies to understand the process of brain development when it is exposed to opiates. Although babies are exposed to opioids in the womb due to their mothers’ abusing of drugs, there is concern that others are affected when doctors prescribe opioids for expectant mothers to relieve pain or the use of methadone to treat drug addiction.

[su_quote class=”cust-pagination”]“People should watch out for three things: avoid a major addiction, don’t get so deeply into debt that it controls your life, and don’t start a family before you’re ready to settle down.” — James Taylor [/su_quote]

The Consequences Of Opioid Addiction Among Babies

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Researchers state that babies who are treated for opioid addiction must be watched closely even after they are sent home with their parents. They need evaluation for any signs of developmental delays and early intervention services until the age of three. Close monitoring must be ongoing to ensure no additional treatment or therapies are needed.

It is clear that the problem of opioid addiction needs to be controlled at the earliest, especially among expectant mothers. Such mothers can pass long-lasting effects of their addiction to their unborn babies.