Refers to the withdrawal symptoms that happens in neonates of mothers that used substances in pregnancy
Aetiology
Substances that cause NAS
Opiates
Methadone
Benzodiazepines
Cocaine
Amphetamines
Nicotine or cannabis
Alcohol
SSRI antidepressants
Clinical presentation
CNS: irritability, tremors, seizures
Vasomotor and respiratory: sweating, unstable temperature, tachypnoea
Metabolic and GI: poor feeding, regurgitation/vomiting, hypoglycaemia
Management
Mothers that are known to use substances should have an alert on their notes so that when they give birth the neonate can have extra monitoring and management of NAS
Babies are kept in hospital with monitoring on a NAS chart for at least 3 days (48 hours for SSRI antidepressants) to monitor for withdrawal symptoms
The neonate should be supported in a quiet and dim environment with gentle handling and comforting
Medical treatment options are avaliable for moderate to severe symptoms
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