As the opioid epidemic continues to get worse, more and more children are exposed to opiates during pregnancy. What do you need to know about fostering/adopting a child that may have prenatal exposure to opiates? In this course, we talk with Evette Horton, the Director of Child Clinical Services in the UNC Horizons Program in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and a specialist in working with children exposed to parental substance use and infant mental health; and Danielle Goodman, an adoption social worker who works with families who have adopted children who have been exposed prenatally to opiates.
This course covers the following topics:
- What drugs are included in the category of opiates?
- How does prenatal exposure to opiates affect a fetus?
- Do most pregnant women who are addicted use throughout their pregnancy?
- How can you tell if the baby is born dependent on opiates?
- What are the symptoms of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)?
- Which drugs are more likely to cause NAS?
- How is NAS treated in the hospital?
- What can parents expect at the hospital when a baby is born dependent or was exposed prenatally?
- What can parents expect when they first bring the baby home?
- What can parents do to help their baby exposed to opiates sleep through the night?
- What are some tips for dealing with and helping a baby who was exposed to opiates?
- What resources are available to help families who are raising babies with prenatal exposure to opiates?
*Your course will remain active for 180 days from purchase date.