Are Babies Born Addicted

Babies Born Addicted to Illegal Drugs

Mothers who use illegal drugs while pregnant increase the risk of the baby being born having health issues. Babies who are born addicted to drugs usually suffer from neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Babies that are born to mothers addicted to drugs do not have the choice to be clean. Mothers need to think about their unborn child, instead of being selfish and only thinking of themselves and their next “high.” Addiction is a powerful disease that affects one in every ten people in the United States. However, if people look at it from an outsider point of view, it not only affects the addict, but the addict’s family and friends. When a baby in the womb, he or she gets drugs every day from his or her mother,

Under the law, suspicious miscarriages, stillbirths and infants with birth defects are grounds for possible criminal assault charges carrying a prison sentences of up to 15 years. Tennessee, the first to state with such a law, has a high number of babies born with drugs in their systems. Supporters believe that threat of jail will force mothers into treatment. Women who stick with drug addiction programs will not be charged. Critics say the measure will harm babies by making pregnant women afraid to seek medical care and may lead to more abortions

Besides the Finnigan Score test, healthcare professionals can also test the placenta, the placenta can be tested all the way back to twenty weeks gestation. Those tests determine what type of drugs the mother passed on to the baby. Also this test is used to determine what type of withdrawal and how severe the withdrawals will be. Babies who are suffering from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), have a special Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. There are private rooms to give the babies peace and quiet. NAS babies are sensitive to being jarred and loud noises. So the unit has alarms, however, they are not loud. Also at ETCH “A small army of volunteers called ‘cuddlers’ help the staff by holding the infants, rocking, and overall just helping them ride out their symptoms. Many of the babies have private, dark rooms with high-tech rocking machines to keep them calm”