Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Substance Exposure Impacts on Development and Support for Children and Caregivers

In West Virginia, one in five children are born substance exposed, and the preschools and school systems are struggling to support these children as they transition into the school setting. This session will review neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and substance exposure in utero and address impacts on children and their families. Presenters will review stress cues, what families should expect as the baby transitions from the NICU to home, the impacts and importance of early developmental milestones, and challenges experienced as these children grow older and transition into school. Presenters will review current research, trends in care, and additional ideas on how to facilitate family advocacy and engagement. Presenters will assert that we must start acknowledging and providing supportive services for both the parent with SUD and the child that has born substance exposed. Research should be followed to assure there are wrap-around services for both caregiver and child in order to educate and empower families to advocate for their children as they grow.

We understand that early intervention is important and effective for infants exposed to substances in utero. Some barriers to infants actually receiving those indicated interventions may include: failure to identify infants at risk, stigma preventing families from accessing care, lack of skilled providers, lack of follow-up surveillance, and coverage discontinuity in the first year after birth. Drawing from experience in clinical care of newborns with substance exposure, training teams to improve the care of such families and leading state government teams in maternal child health, we will explore how health policy and public health strategy can support the real-life provision of services to substance exposed newborns and their families.