Type of Submission
Poster
Keywords
Nonpharmacological interventions, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, NAS, Breastfeeding, Skin-to-Skin, Artificial Contact, Swaddling, NICU, NAS
Proposal
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome is the withdrawal of neonates from intrauterine drug exposure shortly after birth. The treatment of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) usually consists of both pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies. However, nonpharmacological therapies usually tend to be underrepresented in the plan of care for treatment. The aim of our research is to determine the effects of nonpharmacological therapies as the baseline treatment of NAS and how that affects the overall outcome of neonate’s recovery and hospital duration. We specifically examined the comparison between nonpharmacological contact methods and nonpharmacological artificial contact methods on the recovery and hospital stay of the neonate. The contact methods in this study are breastfeeding, babywearing, and skin-to-skin contact. The artificial contact methods in this study are swaddling, pacifiers, swings, vibrating mattresses, and acupuncture. The recovery of the neonates was determined using the Finnegan score; the FLACC scale; the reports of nurses, parents, and physicians; NOWS; and the duration of hospital stay. Through the review of literature, we have concluded that non-pharmacological contact and artificial contact methods should be incorporated into the standard treatment of NAS. Which is evidenced by the reduction of severity of withdrawal symptoms in the neonate and a reduction in the hospital stay. More research needs to be conducted as to how it will be incorporated with pharmacological interventions. Results determined the need for the appraisal of the implementation of the interventions into hospitals for the treatment of NAS in neonates.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Publication Date
2024
Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Drug Exposed Neonates
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome is the withdrawal of neonates from intrauterine drug exposure shortly after birth. The treatment of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) usually consists of both pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies. However, nonpharmacological therapies usually tend to be underrepresented in the plan of care for treatment. The aim of our research is to determine the effects of nonpharmacological therapies as the baseline treatment of NAS and how that affects the overall outcome of neonate’s recovery and hospital duration. We specifically examined the comparison between nonpharmacological contact methods and nonpharmacological artificial contact methods on the recovery and hospital stay of the neonate. The contact methods in this study are breastfeeding, babywearing, and skin-to-skin contact. The artificial contact methods in this study are swaddling, pacifiers, swings, vibrating mattresses, and acupuncture. The recovery of the neonates was determined using the Finnegan score; the FLACC scale; the reports of nurses, parents, and physicians; NOWS; and the duration of hospital stay. Through the review of literature, we have concluded that non-pharmacological contact and artificial contact methods should be incorporated into the standard treatment of NAS. Which is evidenced by the reduction of severity of withdrawal symptoms in the neonate and a reduction in the hospital stay. More research needs to be conducted as to how it will be incorporated with pharmacological interventions. Results determined the need for the appraisal of the implementation of the interventions into hospitals for the treatment of NAS in neonates.
