ADDICT TOTS IN OPIOIDS CRISIS Babies have to go ‘cold turkey’

ALMOST three newborns a day are being treated for drug withdrawal due to their mothers’ addictions.

In England last year, 1,052 were treated after birth, with the total in the past seven years reaching 8,530, NHS figures reveal.

Many cases are linked to illicit opioid use by mums during pregnancy, but others are down to the abuse of prescription opioids.

This has led experts to warn doctors to do more to prevent mothers-to-be using powerful prescription painkillers while pregnant.

Neonatal withdrawal syndrome is caused when a foetus that has received a stream of drugs through the mother’s placenta during pregnancy is forced to go “cold turkey” when the umbilical cord is cut.

Short-term symptoms include high pitched and continuous crying, fits, fever, vomiting, dehydration, diarrhoea and sweating.

In the long term, babies can suffer slow development, visual impairment and learning difficulties. Some newborns even need medication to treat severe symptoms. Prof Helen Mactier, a consultant neonatologist, said: “These figures are very worrying. “Most of these cases are likely to be opioid-related problems. These numbers are likely to represent less than half of the total problem as many babies with addiction problems will not always be admitted for hospital treatment.” She added: “The UK is beginning to mirror the US opioid epidemic.

“It is beholden on those who are prescribing these drugs to make sure we have a handle on the problem.”