Drug Addicted Babies - 2972 Words

Keelana Char English 155 Ms. Mendiola 19 September 2012 Drug Addicted Babies The use of illicit drugs and abuse of alcohol exact a steep price from our society. Substance abuse is a factor in many serious ills such as crime. More upsetting, however, is the affects that it has on children born affected from their dependent mothers. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that 60 percent of women of childbearing age consume alcoholic beverages despite the fact that alcohol consumption during pregnancy is implicated in a wide range of birth defects and developmental disabilities, including mental retardation, physical abnormalities, and visual and auditory impairments. (Nevitt, 1996) Since most drug users are in the child bearing†¦show more content†¦Because lack of emotional stimulation and feedback can literally turn off the infant production of growth hormone, these cases are often the most severe. Severe non-organic failure to thrive is potentially fatal. Infant malnutrition develops starvation or overwhelming sepsis. Non -organic failure to thrive is associated with severe maternal depression or other serious mental illness, maternal substance abuse, or severe sociopathic personality disorder. (Van, 1977) Infants who were exposed to alcohol and/or drugs may exhibit this disorder, which is characterized by a loss of weight, or slowing of weight gain, and a failure to reach developmental milestones. This can be due to medical and/or environmental factors. The infant’s behavior includes poor sucking, difficulty in swallowing, and distractibility. Many of these children live in chronically dysfunctional families, which place them at greater risk of parental neglect. (Van, 1977) Within seventy-two hours after birth, many infants who were exposed prenatally to drugs experience withdrawal symptoms, including tremors and irritability. Their skin may be red and dry; they may have a fever, sweating, diarrhea, excessive vomiting, and even seizures. SuchShow MoreRelatedA Case With The Drug Addicted Babie s1836 Words   |  8 Pagesbut I’ve been praying for you for months. See, a few months ago my baby and I were seated next to the nicest woman at the hair salon and we ended up chatting for a couple of hours. She was overflowing with love for this little one that was still shaking with tremors from becoming addicted to drugs while in his mother’s womb. As she described him and the therapy and the fussiness and all of the appointments and care this tiny baby needed she spoke with such hope that all of this love and care wouldRead MoreBabies Born Addicted to Drugs and the Side Effects Essay2050 Words   |  9 PagesIn today’s society people are talking about babies being born to drugs, and how could a mother do that to their unborn child. Drug addiction is a very serious issue that needs more research. We are still learning the effects of substance abuse. One problem that needs to be looked at is are there enough Rehabilitation Centers, to help the women who ar e addicted to these different street drugs. Also doctor and nurses should not judge these women but instead give them the best prenatal care that canRead MoreShould All Pregnant Women Be Drug Tested? Essay943 Words   |  4 Pagesyears, drugs have been taking over more lives than we could have imagined. It seems that drugs have become more â€Å"popular†, even though they have been around us our whole lives. Kids starting at age 11 are now doing drugs, which is pretty upsetting knowing your little brother could be doing drugs without you even knowing. A more upsetting topic is babies being born addicted to drugs. A study has shown in 2004 seven babies in every 1000 were born addicted to drugs, by 2013 27 in every 1000 babies haveRead MoreTheu.s. Supreme Court Case1146 Words   |  5 Pagessays that eight million children have a parent that is addicted to substances as well. Now, most laws do protect the baby from a drug addicted mother, mainly in the event of a stillborn. While having a baby with brain damages and problems caused by the mother’s substance abuse, the mother will also suffer complications during childbirth (Sarah Blustain). Barry Lester found that 320,000 pregnant women suffer from alcoholism or the use of drugs. He views that their punishment is based on what societyRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Abuse On The Body And Mind1271 Words   |  6 Pagesto their young to stay away of drugs because they are â€Å"bad† what they do not say is that drugs can become a serious addiction and cause serious complications. Drug abuse is a serious concern in today’s society; at this day and age just about anyone is doing or has been near drugs in their lifetime. People should be more educated on the subject of how drugs can seriously affect the body and mind. Addiction is often defined by continuing the compulsive nature of the drug use, they are ignoring the physicalRead Moredrugs use among pregnant women1462 Words   |  6 P ages Drugs and Pregnant Women Introduction Pregnancy among women drug users, is on the rise in the word today. According to The Universities of Michigan and Pittsburg (April 30, 2012), a baby is born addicted to drugs every hour. These babies are at high risk of experiencing birth defects and possibly growing up to be addicted to drugs as well. Most are born at a very low birth weight, usually under four pounds; which is also an ongoing problem as they grow. Drugs and LongRead MoreArgumentative Essay On Abortion924 Words   |  4 Pagesdo so causes major defects on the babies and the mothers get no serious punishment for their actions. This issue is similar to the argument on whether abortion should be legal or not, because both situations can kill the baby while it’s still in the womb. Women who use drugs while pregnant should be tried for child abuse. First of all, taking drugs while pregnant can lead to irreversible birth defects or even death. It is said by the National Institute on Drug Abuse that smoking tobacco or marijuanaRead MoreYou Walk Into A Nicu1177 Words   |  5 Pagesthe halls it is quiet and warm. You continue passing rooms of isolettes and tiny babies. As you near the end of the hall you start to hear the shrill scream of an infant. You look in to see a newborn infant alone in a big room. The cry is one of pain and the baby is inconsolable. The infant’s skin is mottled, its reflexes are hyperactive, and it is breathing rapidly. You are looking at a baby that was born addicted to heroin. I experienced this over the summer while I was doing my externshipRead MoreDrug Addiction and Pregnancy783 Words   |  4 PagesRunning head: DRUG ADDICTION AND PREGNANCY​1 Drug Addiction and Pregnancy University of South Florida September 15, 2012   Drug Addiction and Pregnancy After reading about various topics regarding drug addiction, it wasn’t easy to narrow down this topic. Drug addiction and pregnancy was the topic found to be most interesting. Estimates based on court documents, news accounts, and data collected by attorneys representing pregnant women indicate that at least 200 womenRead MoreUses and abuse of drugs983 Words   |  4 Pages37,000 people died from drug related overdoses.† Many people do not understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. Substance abuse is a growing problem that not only affects the person who is abusing alcohol or drugs but also affects the lives of those who are close to the abuser. Substance abuse is the abuse of any substance. A drug is a substance that modifies one or more of the body’s functions when it is consumed. It is often mistakenly assumed that drug abusers lack moral principles