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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Behavioral development in children with prenatal substance exposure and neonatal abstinence syndrome: Associated

Jennifer S Miller1, Joel G Anderson1, Lisa C Lindley1

  • 1The University of Tennessee, College of Nursing, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing : Official Publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, Inc
|April 11, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Children exposed to multiple substances before birth and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) face higher risks of abnormal behavioral development up to age 10. Early behavioral evaluations and trauma surveillance are crucial for these children.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Prenatal substance exposure and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) are recognized risk factors for behavioral issues in early childhood.
  • Adverse behavioral outcomes have been observed in children at 24 months of age following prenatal substance exposure or NAS.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate factors linked to abnormal behavioral development in children with prenatal substance exposure or NAS.
  • To analyze these effects across development up to 10 years of age, controlling for various environmental and policy factors.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective, nonexperimental, longitudinal study design.
  • Hierarchical multivariate logistic regression model utilized.
  • Behavioral development assessed at 1, 5, and 10 years of age.

Main Results:

  • Polysubstance exposure to three substances significantly predicted abnormal behavioral development at 10 years (OR=2.711, p<0.01).
  • Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) also predicted abnormal behavioral development at 10 years (OR=2.077, p<0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Early and continuous behavioral evaluation is recommended for children with prenatal substance exposure and NAS.
  • Surveillance for childhood trauma and adversity should be implemented through middle childhood for at-risk populations.
Abstract

Keywords:
behavioral developmentneonatal abstinence syndromeopioid-related disorders

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