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Management of the newborn infant affected by maternal opiates and other drugs of dependency
Author(s) -
Oei Julee,
Lui Kei
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2007.00994.x
Subject(s) - medicine , psychosocial , intervention (counseling) , pregnancy , drug , dependency (uml) , psychiatry , pediatrics , adverse effect , intensive care medicine , pharmacology , genetics , systems engineering , engineering , biology
Illicit drug use during pregnancy is common and probably underestimated in the majority of published studies. The infant exposed to opiates or other drugs of dependency during intrauterine development is at risk for post‐natal withdrawal as well as to long‐term problems that are associated with drug‐effects and often, adverse social circumstances. This article examines the early management of the infant and mother for detection and monitoring of drug‐exposure, pharmacological intervention for withdrawal and the management of associated, particularly infective and psychosocial, problems. Practical concerns surrounding these issues are discussed and further research on psychosocial intervention to improve long‐term outcome are much needed.