One of the saddest parts of the Opioid epidemic spreading throughout the US are the youngest victims.
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, or NAS, effects babies whose mothers used opioids while pregnant. Treatment centers like Lily’s Place in Huntington, West Virginia and Children’s National Health System care for those infants.
Chief of Neonatology at Children’s National Health System, Billie Short says these young patients usually stay for one month. As the children get older, they may suffer long-term side effects like brain development issues.
“We use to think well we treat them then once they come off of medicines in the hospital then they’re okay. Well, they’re not," Short said.
Data collected by West Virginia health officials show where NAS hit hardest. The average of NAS in West Virginia is 5 percent but in some counties it is more than 10 percent.
“It’s very important work that’s going on right now. And the impact of the work will actually translate to saving lives," State Health Officer Rahul Gupta said.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito has been very vocal about the challenges of NAS. She says all West Virginians feel the impact.
“That’s going to be all of our problems to try to help that child. This is really personal for us in West Virginia," Capito said.
Gupta says all of the efforts are not an immediate fix, but something that will protect the future of West Virginia.