Research Assessment

Subject: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Work Cited:

Johnson, Britta. "Neonatal abstinence syndrome." Pediatric Nursing, July-Aug. 2017, p. 206+.

Academic OneFile,

go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=j043905005&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA50

3465383&it=r&asid=838d404b563602c42fd2c7794270f8ac. Accessed 31 Oct. 2017.

Date: October 31, 2017

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome or NAS, is when a child is exposed to opioid drugs

during gestation. Of the 5% of women who use opioid drugs during pregnancies, 49% to 94% of

the children born experience NAS. As years have passed NAS has become a growing issue and

the costs to pay for the treatment has gone from $190 million to $720 million in the past decade.

With the increasing availability of abusive drugs, many people face addiction, and with woman

who turn to drugs for coping they are left shamed and feeling judged. This especially happens in

the hospital when a mother who has in the past experienced drug addictions, gives birth to a child

that has NAS. Many of the nurses see the mothers as irresponsible and unable to care for their

sick child. Most of the time mothers who have a child who is experiencing NAS feel excluded

from the treatment and caring process, since they do not understand what is happening to their

child. This is common because the mothers are not adequately educated about NAS and do not

understand the effects of it and why it is so vital that their child must go through extensive care.

Many mothers worry that their child will see a nurse as their mother because of the vast amount

of time the nurses spend with these struggling children. Also with the nurses being closed

minded about the mother, most women do not go into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
because they do not want to be judged or be treated as if they are a lesser due to their past. So

this leaves mothers worried that their child will create a bond not with them, but with the nurse

that is caring for them. There have been many programs put through the hospitals for the nurses

to go through so that they do not discriminated against a patient due to social or economic

situations. This helps prevent the mother from worrying about feeling judged or excluded from

the caring process because the nurses know how to deal with women who have previously

abused drugs.

This syndrome is important and education about it is necessary for woman to know the

possible damage and disabilities they could leave for their child to deal with if they abuse drugs

during gestation. Not just women but everyone should learn about the dangers to drug addiction

and what it could do to their offspring. It is vital for education to be given to those who

experience low economic and social situations, because their more likely to turn to drugs to make

money or deal with stress and issues. Although, those who are struggling are not the only ones

who could be a victim to drugs, anyone could surrender themselves to abusive and addictive

habits to harsh substances and it could effect not just their children but also their family.

The neonates experiencing NAS need special medical attention and mother who feel

excluded, should not worry about a severed bond between them and their child, they should

worry about the possible dangers their baby faces. This increasing issue has become a very

prevalent problem and needs to be fixed, and to do so education must be administered by those

who know about the syndrome. This article exposed me to the large amounts of money used to

treat NAS and how many woman and children go through the process of dealing with NAS. I did

not know how bad this issue was until I read this article and I hope one day to be able to educate
mothers and fathers about the life threatening syndrome that can easily be prevented if the stay

away from dangerous substances.