The most commonly system used is the Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Scoring system, which examines twenty-one of the most common signs and symptoms of withdrawal. There are three main systems that are addressed: neurologic, autonomic, and gastrointestinal system.
The Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome scoring is done to help determine treatment based on the symptoms and severity, which includes a score at the end of the test. The first score should be recorded two hours after birth. In the central nervous system section, the signs and symptoms include high-pitched crying, restlessness, with sleep duration less than 1-3 hours after feeding, hyperactive reflexes, jitteriness, tremors, hypertonia, myoclonic jerks, generalized convulsions. The …show more content…
Newborns suffering from withdrawal are often fussy and hard to calm down. If withdrawals are severe, medications such as: morphine, phenobarbital, or methadone can be used to wean the newborn. These babies need to stay in the hospital for weeks or months after birth. The reason for treatment is to give the infant a drug similar to the one the mother used during pregnancy and then slowly decrease the dose over time to help the baby wean off. Nurses can also calm the newborn down by gently rocking it, reducing noise and lights, and by swaddling the baby in a blanket. If the symptoms are extremely severe, especially if other drugs were used, a second medicine such as phenobarbital or clonidine may be added. Approximately 30-91% of infants who exhibit signs of neonatal abstinence syndrome receive pharmacological treatment. The limited available evidence from controlled trials of neonatal opioid withdrawal supports the use of oral morphine solution and methadone when pharmacologic treatment is indicated (Farst, Valentine, & Hall, 2012). There has been much research done on treatment options to try and help with the symptoms of neonatal abstinence syndrome. As part of discharge planning, all newborns exposed to illicit drugs in pregnancy should have a primary care provider specifically designated to allow flow of information on risk status, referrals,
The Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome scoring is done to help determine treatment based on the symptoms and severity, which includes a score at the end of the test. The first score should be recorded two hours after birth. In the central nervous system section, the signs and symptoms include high-pitched crying, restlessness, with sleep duration less than 1-3 hours after feeding, hyperactive reflexes, jitteriness, tremors, hypertonia, myoclonic jerks, generalized convulsions. The …show more content…
Newborns suffering from withdrawal are often fussy and hard to calm down. If withdrawals are severe, medications such as: morphine, phenobarbital, or methadone can be used to wean the newborn. These babies need to stay in the hospital for weeks or months after birth. The reason for treatment is to give the infant a drug similar to the one the mother used during pregnancy and then slowly decrease the dose over time to help the baby wean off. Nurses can also calm the newborn down by gently rocking it, reducing noise and lights, and by swaddling the baby in a blanket. If the symptoms are extremely severe, especially if other drugs were used, a second medicine such as phenobarbital or clonidine may be added. Approximately 30-91% of infants who exhibit signs of neonatal abstinence syndrome receive pharmacological treatment. The limited available evidence from controlled trials of neonatal opioid withdrawal supports the use of oral morphine solution and methadone when pharmacologic treatment is indicated (Farst, Valentine, & Hall, 2012). There has been much research done on treatment options to try and help with the symptoms of neonatal abstinence syndrome. As part of discharge planning, all newborns exposed to illicit drugs in pregnancy should have a primary care provider specifically designated to allow flow of information on risk status, referrals,