Hannah

Barber

&

Stephanie

Hitchcock

NEONATAL ABSTINENCE

SYNDROME

Out of 4.3 million babies born per year, between 800,000 and

1 million are born to women who used drugs during

pregnancy.

Alcohol

Nicotine

Illegal drugs

5.4 million children in the United States live with a parent

who has a substance abuse disorder.

3.4 million live with a mother who has a substance abuse

disorder.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Neonatal abstinence syndrome is the clinical term used for

opiate withdrawal in the newborn.

Characterized by the development of specific withdrawal signs

after birth, usually presented between 48 and 72 hours.

It is estimated that between 48 and 94% of infants exposed to

opiates in utero develop clinical signs of withdrawal after

delivery.

WHAT IS NAS?

Babies who are born to substance abusing mothers are at risk

for developing NAS.

They are scored using the Finnegan system by the nurses in

the NICU. There are 3 categories:

Central nervous system disturbances

Metabolic/vasomotor/respiratory disturbances

Gastrointestinal disturbances

According to the scores given by the nurses, the decision is

then made whether or not the baby requires treatment for its

symptoms.

NEONATAL ABSTINENCE SYNDROME

Much like in the CP project, we can use the accelerometer

technology to measure patterns of movement in NAS babies.

Develop subjective, automated system for scoring the NAS

babies’ symptoms.

Treat symptoms earlier

Avoid over-/under-treating

Decrease need to trust parents

Send babies home sooner

HOW CAN WE HELP?

There are several ‘movement -based’ symptoms that could potentially be measured using our technology:

Tremors

Seizure activity

Moro reflex

Muscle tone?

Respiratory rate

According to Dr. Joan Fisher, the tremors are a universally presented sign of withdrawal. This may be our best bet.

C. O’Brien and colleagues are already using the Actigraph to compare clinical scoring with measure of movement.

Actigraph technology

MEASURING SYMPTOMS

Wireless sensors

One per baby, not needed on all 4 limbs

IRB probably won’t allow wired sensors

Remotely accessible by clinicians

Sync with electronic chart and medical records

Objective data not dependent on observer

WANT LIST

QUESTIONS?