Treating The Tiniest Opioid Patients When babies are born to women who used opioid drugs during their pregnancies, they often suffer serious symptoms of withdrawal. Hospitals are rethinking the best way to help the whole family.
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Treating The Tiniest Opioid Patients
Amanda Hensley with her daughter, Valencia. Hensley says several hospitals and clinics she contacted were reluctant to help her quit her opioid habit. "Nobody wants to touch a pregnant woman with an addiction issue." Sarah Jane Tribble/WCPN hide caption
Carolyn Rossi, a registered nurse at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, says the opioid epidemic has required nurses who used to specialize in care for infants gain insights into caring for addicted mothers, as well. Rusty Kimball/Courtesy of Hartford HealthCare hide caption
To Help Newborns Dependent On Opioids, Hospitals Rethink Mom's Role
Doctors are trying to slowly wean Lexi from her dependence on methadone. She's just 2 weeks old. Under a doctor's advice, her mom took methadone while pregnant, to help kick a heroin habit. Kristin Espeland Gourlay/RIPR hide caption