Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome: An Update on Developmental Outcomes

Abstract

Infants and children with prenatal opioid exposure generally have development within the normal range; however, they seem to be at risk for behavioral problems and for lower scores on cognitive, language, and motor assessments than children without prenatal opioid exposure. It is as of yet unclear whether prenatal opioid exposure itself causes issues with development and behavior, or whether it is simply correlated, due to other confounding factors.

Keywords: Developmental outcomes; Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS); Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS); Neurodevelopment; Opioid.