Trends Among a Population of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Patients in Huntington, West Virginia

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) represents a serious emotional toll for the families of affected children and represents a significant financial burden for healthcare providers. Historically, patients living in rural regions, such as Appalachia, have limited access to healthcare facilities. The goal of this study was to increase understanding of the population served by a medical treatment center for NAS patients in Huntington, West Virginia in the hopes of better meeting the needs of these patients and their families. A clinical records review was conducted using the charts from 122 NAS patients that returned for follow-up clinic appointments at Lily’s Place, a non-profit NAS center in Huntington, between the years of 2015 and 2019. Factors examined in this study included number of visits to the clinic, drugs used by patient mothers, developmental milestones reached, medical issues observed during clinic visits, medical issues common among patient mothers, insurance status, and plans for care developed during each visit. The mean number of visits to the clinic per patient was 1.92. Opioids were found to be the most commonly misused class of drugs among the mothers of patients. Over one third of patient mothers were positive for hepatitis C. Medicaid was the most common insurance for patients and their parents/guardians. Many patients demonstrated a delay in reaching developmental milestones for their age group. Common patient symptoms included muscle and/or joint tightness, torticollis, and tremors. Many patient visits required a demonstration of stretches/exercises for the patient’s guardian to perform on the patient and most patient visits resulted in referrals to additional developmental support services. The results of this study indicate important trends among NAS patients and their families in West Virginia and, potentially, in the wider United States.

Keywords: Neonatal abstinence syndrome; Drug abuse; Infant development; Social determinants of health; Qualitative research

Abbreviations: NAS: neonatal abstinence syndrome; GERD: gastroesophageal reflux disease; CDC: Center for Disease Control and Prevention; BTT: Birth to Three; WVDHHR: West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources; MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging