Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Support

• NAS is a group of conditions caused when a baby withdraws from certain drugs (most often opioids) he’s exposed to in the womb before birth.

• Most babies with NAS get treatment in the hospital after birth. Most babies who get treatment get better in a few days or weeks.

• During treatment, your baby may be fussy and hard to soothe. Skin-to-skin care, weighted swaddle or sleep sack, being gentle and breastfeeding can help calm your baby.

• NAS may lead to long-term health and development problems, including hearing and vision problems and problems with learning and behavior. 

What are signs of NAS? 

Signs of a condition are things someone else can see or know about you, like you have a rash or you're coughing. Signs of NAS can be different for every baby. Most happen within 3 days (72 hours) of birth, but some may happen right after birth or not until a few weeks after birth. They can last from 1 week to 6 months after birth. 

If your baby has signs of NAS, call her provider right away. Signs may include: 

• Body shakes (tremors), seizures (convulsions), overactive reflexes (twitching) and tight muscle tone
• Fussiness, excessive crying or having a high-pitched cry
• Poor feeding or sucking or slow weight gain
• Breathing problems, including breathing really fast
• Fever, sweating or blotchy skin
• Trouble sleeping and lots of yawning
• Diarrhea or throwing up
• Stuffy nose or sneezing

RESOURCES for parents: