Summary: Babies born to parents who were addicted to heroin and other opiates constantly scream and cry after birth. They also suffer nausea, diarrhea, and they shake uncontrollably. This is because they are born with an addiction, and have to go through withdrawal right after birth. Dr. Sean Loudin works with these children and their parents and a facility called Lily's Place. He says the rate of babies going through this, called neonatal abstinence syndrome, has skyrocketed in recent years. Incidences of babies going through withdrawal have increased from 1.2 to 7.5 per 1,000 hospital births among rural infants and from 1.4 to 4.8 per 1,000 hospital births among urban infants. "The most alarming thing to me was the growing disparity that we are seeing between rural and urban areas," said Dr. Nicole Villapiano, a lead researcher on the topic. Lawmakers are working to shut down the pill mills that feed this issue.
Analysis: I think it is awful to imagine the pain that these newborns have to go through. Its one thing for a grown person to go through this, but a baby is even worse. I think it is so sad that the newborns have to go through, they don't know what's happening or why they feel like this. I think that this whole this is incredibly sad. They could compare to the temperance movement because of the effects that alcohol has on newborn babies.
My mom works with babies like this and she's told me stories about how awful it is. I can't even imagine how terrible it must be for those little babies to have to experience such pain for something they can't even understand.
ReplyDeleteits saddening knowing that parents voluntarily continue to be enveloped in their addictions when pregnant knowing good and well their child is getting addicted too.
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