Before a baby is born, he shares circulation of blood with his mother. This means that what his mother ingests--whether food, medication or alcohol--all can cross the placental barrier and enter a baby's bloodstream. A mother who chronically uses illegal or prescription drugs during pregnancy can deliver a baby born with the same medications in his own system. Because he does not continue taking the drugs after birth, he must undergo a period of withdrawal.
Symptoms
Neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS, is a collection of symptoms in a baby who is undergoing withdrawal of drug addiction from her mother. According to Medline Plus, a baby with NAS may have varying manifestations, depending on the drug, as well as how much and how long her mother took the drug. Some symptoms of NAS include severe irritability marked by periods of inconsolable crying, slow weight gain and poor feeding, increased muscle tone, tremors and diarrhea.
Considerations
Some drugs can affect a baby in multiple ways, in addition to producing withdrawal symptoms. The Children's Medical Center of Dallas states that babies of mothers who used amphetamines during pregnancy are at a higher risk of being born underweight and are at increased risk of a brain bleed. A baby born addicted to heroin may suffer from seizures, and babies of mothers who drank alcohol during pregnancy may have fetal alcohol syndrome, a collection of deformities such as heart defects, facial abnormalities and mental retardation.
Documentation
An infant experiencing withdrawal must be monitored for symptoms as severity may determine the method of treatment. A system known as the Finnegan scale is a type of scoring method that applies a count to track what symptoms an infant is having and in what severity. The Finnegan score can also be used to investigate how well specific treatments are working for an infant experiencing withdrawal.
Treatment
Treatment of drug withdrawal focuses on providing comfort and the use of medications when necessary. Comfort measures include frequent small feedings of high-calorie formula if an infant is having diarrhea or poor sucking. Wrapping a baby snugly within a blanket provides a sense of security for him and can help to reduce irritability. Some facilities give narcotics to wean a baby slowly from addiction rather than forcing an abrupt withdrawal. Anti-seizure and anti-anxiety medications may also be given to reduce severe symptoms of withdrawal.
Prevention/Solution
Symptoms of drug withdrawal in an infant may not appear until 24 hours following birth. In some situations, symptoms may not be seen until 5 to 7 days after birth. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies at risk of withdrawal should be screened by completing a thorough maternal history and testing both urine and stool for the presence of drugs in the baby's system. A high-risk infant who is showing even mild signs of withdrawal should be monitored and symptoms documented to determine the need for treatment.
