I'll have to disagree. With nearly everyone of the parents I eventually deal with that have had babies born addicted to meth or heroin, they have never had a Rx pain pill prescribed to them. The number I deal with in my small county is staggering.

 

I kind of went off topic, my fault. I'm specifically talking about ways people became addicted, I'm not referring to babies born addicted, which is what the thread is about. Prescription opioid drugs contribute to 40 percent of all US opioid overdose deaths.

Now, I realize many of these are people misusing them from the start. However, doctors for years have over-prescribed these drugs to people and the next thing you know, they're addicted. I've seen it happen. All too often.

I will add that likely most that get addicted because of prescription drugs are friends, relatives or acquaintances to people that the pills were prescribed to, typically young people.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome has been a problem for years, below is an article written in Oct 2013. This was a call for awareness 5 years ago. :banghead:

 

I can’t tell just by looking at a newborn if he will have post-birth drug withdrawal. At least not at first. It usually takes 48-72 hours after birth, and sometimes even longer. But once the withdrawal symptoms kick in, I know. Babies born with drug withdrawal, called neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), are completely inconsolable. They’re miserable. They have tremors, irritability, increased wakefulness, high-pitched cries, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and in the worst cases, seizures.

 

It’s the sad reality of today’s prescription drug abuse epidemic.

 

A common misconception is that babies born with drug withdrawal come from mothers with illegal drug abuse problems. Sure, they’re a part of this equation– but they’re not the majority. Of the drug screening we’ve done on Ohio mothers whose babies have NAS, 75% of the mothers testing positive for drugs were using prescription opioids, like Percocet and Vicodin – NOT illegal street drugs. This issue is not isolated to Cincinnati or even Ohio. It’s a nation-wide trend.

 

This problem – babies born with drug withdrawal – has a direct correlation to the five-fold increase in prescription opioids, or pain-killers, distributed across the country in the last 10 years. In fact, enough prescription opioids were prescribed in 2010 to medicate every American adult around-the-clock for a month.

 

Now every hour one baby is born suffering from opiate withdrawal across the United States.

 

We can do better for the next generation. But how? In Ohio, six free-standing children’s hospitals, including Cincinnati Children’s, have received funding from the Governor’s office to conduct research and determine the best treatment protocols.

 

In Cincinnati, we’ve established a task force made up of the Perinatal Institute and all of the regional birthing hospitals. Not only are we setting out to standardize treatment for these babies, we’re also trying to figure out through drug screening which ones are at-risk for delayed withdrawal symptoms.

 

This drug screening is a very timely and important step. Most babies with drug withdrawal don’t start having symptoms until 48-72 hours after birth (and sometimes even longer). So it’s possible for a baby to be discharged, sent home and then have withdrawal symptoms. We want to avoid that scenario. Because babies with drug withdrawal feel miserable and will likely require special medical attention, they’re incredibly difficult to care for. Plus 60% of them will need pharmacologic treatment to help manage their withdrawal symptoms. Our goal is to detect which babies will have these symptoms early and keep them for observation and treatment if necessary.

 

This is our approach to neonatal abstinence syndrome in Cincinnati, once we’re aware of the baby’s drug withdrawal. But what about preventing it from happening in the first place? The solution has a seemingly simple answer with not-so-easy implementation:

 

If you’re thinking about becoming pregnant, talk to your doctor about tapering off of pain killers before conceiving.

Doctors, be aware of how often you’re prescribing pain-killers, and be thoughtful about how long your patients have been on them.

Awareness of this problem is our best defense in stopping it from happening in the future. Please help me spread the word by sharing this post with your families, friends, and colleagues.

Awareness Needed: Babies Born With Drug Withdrawal - Cincinnati Children's Blog

Edited May 5, 20188 yr by kygirl

The numbers are going to continue to climb. Children learn what they live. If it’s no big deal to be high while raising your kids, your kids will see that it’s no big deal to get high. So with more “impaired judgement” people living among us, there will be more pregnancies by drug addicted women.

 

Agreed.

Now every hour one baby is born suffering from opiate withdrawal across the United States.

 

Good friends of ours are raising, and have legally adopted their nephew, who was born with a cocaine addiction. His mom ended up overdosing almost two years ago, but seeing him endure what he had to endure was heartbreaking and eye-opening. But he is pretty much past all that and is in a much better situation.

 

But I can't help but wonder about other children who don't have the good fortune that he has had.

Good friends of ours are raising, and have legally adopted their nephew, who was born with a cocaine addiction. His mom ended up overdosing almost two years ago, but seeing him endure what he had to endure was heartbreaking and eye-opening. But he is pretty much past all that and is in a much better situation.

 

But I can't help but wonder about other children who don't have the good fortune that he has had.

 

There are so many special people that step up like your good friends who take on these special children but I'm sure there are some that fall through the cracks. You're right it is heartbreaking and eye opening.

Another reason there are so many prescriptions is JCAHO making pain the "fifth vital sign". If pain is not addressed and treated to the patient's satisfaction doctors are penalized. It is amazing how many people come to the ED with sprains, cuts, bruises, back pain whatever and they want narcotics. "I have pain and I want it gone now" "No I will not try over the counter forts because that crap doesn't work" It also makes it harder for those who legitimately need it.

Are there legal or criminal problems for mothers who knowingly take drugs, regardless of the type, while pregnant? If a baby is born addicted is the mother held accountable?

In about 15 years we are going to see a huge generation of damaged drug babies hitting adulthood. The schools are already struggling with it. It is going to be a massive mental health problem for many years to come.

 

I know that this against the law, and probably immoral, but...I think women of child bearing years who give birth to a drug addicted child, or who are convicted of drug related crimes, should be required by law to get the Depo shot (longer term birth control, not sterilization), until they pass a drug test for say...a year. Failure to do so results in losing custody of their child (if they haven’t already), as well as loss of any government assistance.

 

Sounds awful, but I think the unfettered right to reproduce is wrong given the terrible damage done to these children.

Another reason there are so many prescriptions is JCAHO making pain the "fifth vital sign". If pain is not addressed and treated to the patient's satisfaction doctors are penalized. It is amazing how many people come to the ED with sprains, cuts, bruises, back pain whatever and they want narcotics. "I have pain and I want it gone now" "No I will not try over the counter forts because that crap doesn't work" It also makes it harder for those who legitimately need it.

 

Speaking as a nurse, I too hate the 5th vital sign issue. Very stupid thing for JACHO to focus on. However, patients aren’t medicated simply because they say they have pain. You take their pain rating and also take in account their vitals, your own subjective observations, patients history, and very importantly their Casper report (history of controlled medication use). That gives you a lot of wiggle room when giving out pain meds.

 

Can’t tell you how many patients rate their pain 10/10 as they casually play on their phones. They don’t get pain meds.

Speaking as a nurse, I too hate the 5th vital sign issue. Very stupid thing for JACHO to focus on. However, patients aren’t medicated simply because they say they have pain. You take their pain rating and also take in account their vitals, your own subjective observations, patients history, and very importantly their Casper report (history of controlled medication use). That gives you a lot of wiggle room when giving out pain meds.

 

Can’t tell you how many patients rate their pain 10/10 as they casually play on their phones. They don’t get pain meds.

 

Correct when I prescribe or order pain medications in the ED I take into consideration lots of other things, but being in healthcare yourself I am sure you have the same pressure to make sure you get the magical 9-10/10 in patient satisfaction. Patients know that. Particularly drug seekers will try to use that to their advantage. They will threaten to call management throw a fit whatever. The entire process can be exhausting and some providers will eventually give in because it is easier than dealing with the consequences of making a "customer" mad.

What leads people to shoot up?

 

I had a friend who shot up methadone, pain pills, meth, and heroin.

What leads people to shoot up?

 

I had a friend who shot up methadone, pain pills, meth, and heroin.

 

An uncontrollable desire to have whatever is their drug of choice hit their system as quickly as possible.

An uncontrollable desire to have whatever is their drug of choice hit their system as quickly as possible.

 

Can you shoot up pot? The liquid form and get the high?

Can you shoot up pot? The liquid form and get the high?

 

No clue. I'm sure someone has tried it, though.