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. 2018 May;38(5):587-592.
doi: 10.1038/s41372-018-0088-9. Epub 2018 Mar 7.

Retrospective review of neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants treated for neonatal abstinence syndrome

Stephanie L Merhar  1 , Jennifer M McAllister  2 , Kathryn E Wedig-Stevie  2 , Amy C Klein  3 , Jareen Meinzen-Derr  4 , Brenda B Poindexter  2
Affiliations

Retrospective review of neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants treated for neonatal abstinence syndrome

Stephanie L Merhar et al. J Perinatol. 2018 May.

Abstract

Objective: Little is known about developmental outcomes in neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). We hypothesized that children treated for NAS would score lower than the normative sample on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 3rd edition.

Study design: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 87 infants treated for NAS and evaluated at 2 years of age.

Results: Children treated for NAS scored significantly lower than the norm (mean 100) on all 3 subscales (cognitive mean 96.5, language mean 93.8, motor mean 94.0, all p < 0.03). Children who lived with foster/adoptive families at follow up had higher cognitive scores (median 100 vs. 95, p = 0.03) than those who lived with biological relatives, and were less likely to have motor scores <85 (p = 0.02). Eight percent of children required treatment for strabismus.

Conclusions: Children treated for NAS are at risk for lower developmental scores and higher rates of strabismus at age 2 than the general population.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Statement: None of the authors has competing financial interests in relation to the work described.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patient flowsheet
Figure 2
Figure 2
Disposition of children at discharge versus 2 year follow up
Figure 3
Figure 3
Median Bayley cognitive score in infants with NAS living with foster or adoptive families versus biological relatives
Figure 4
Figure 4
Median Bayley scores of children with NAS based on gender
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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