Addiction to prescription drugs and heroin is a national epidemic. In San Antonio it’s creating dependency for some of our youngest Americans: newborns. One local mother who got hooked on drugs got help through a research project aimed at easing the suffering of these babies and their mothers. The first few days of life can be a living hell for babies born to addicted mothers. They are dependent on the prescription painkillers or heroin their mothers used while they were in the womb. The withdrawal process can last days, weeks, even a couple of agonizing months. The medical term for the condition is Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome or NAS. Lisa Cleveland, Ph.D., RN, with San Antonio’s U.T. Health Science Center says the symptoms are often intense. “Very high-pitched inconsolable crying, a lot of stomach issues, so vomiting, diarrhea,” Cleveland explained. “These babies don’t sleep well. They don’t feel good.” According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, about 400 drug
Source: Texas Public Radio
