Catherine Owens

You are called to the room and find Michael 2 hours old has been very irritable and spitting up large amounts of formula. He is very jittery. You do not know the maternal history before coming into the room so you advise the mother that you would like to return the baby to the nursery for an assessment and monitoring.  In the medical record you focus on prenatal history. You witness the baby having some significant tremors. What would you suspect? Michaels VS are: T (axillary) - 36.0, RR- 70, HR- 166, he is very alert, irritable, and does not console easily. Is moving constantly, and sucking very vigorous on the pacifier you provide for comfort. You place the baby under the warmer and obtain what labs?   

It is determined that this baby is going through opioid withdrawal. Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome requires close observation and scoring. Methadone may be used.                      Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome           Shows both the signs of withdrawal, scoring and the nursing care of a baby with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.