A newborn baby’s healthcare provider can use these tests to see if your baby has NAS/NOWS:

• NAS/NOWS scoring system. With this system, an opioid-exposed baby’s doctor uses points to grade how severe the baby’s withdrawal is. They will use the score to decide what kind of treatment the baby needs. 

• Urine and meconium tests to check for drugs. Meconium is a newborn baby’s first bowel movement.

• A newborn baby’s doctor also needs to know about what drugs or medicine the baby's mother has used and when they last took them. the mother may get a urine test.

In 2024, the gold standard for treating NAS/NOWS is called the Eat, Sleep, Console Method. Newborns cared for with ESC were medically ready for discharge approximately 6.7 days earlier and 63% less likely to receive medication (than previous commonly-used interventions such as medication-focused care) as part of their treatment. ESC prioritizes non-pharmacologic approaches to care, such as a low-stimulation environment, swaddling, skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding when possible. ESC also encourages parental involvement in the care and assessment of their infants.

If ESC does not seem to be working for an opioid-exposed newborn, medications may still be used to treat or manage severe withdrawal symptoms. Medicines used to treat severe withdrawal include morphine, methadone and buprenorphine.

Babies may also receive fluids through an IV to ensure they don't get dehydrated as they endure withdrawal.

Most babies with NAS/NOWS will also be fed higher-calorie baby formula. Some babies with NAS need extra calories to help them grow because they have trouble feeding or slow growth.

• If you’re pregnant and you use any of the drugs that can cause NAS, tell your provider right away, but don’t stop taking the drug without getting treatment from your provider first. Quitting suddenly (sometimes called cold turkey) can cause severe problems for your baby, including death. If you need help to quit using these drugs, talk to your provider about treatment. Getting treatment can help you stop using drugs and is safer for your baby than getting no treatment at all.

• If you’re pregnant and can’t stop using opioids without problems, ask your provider about medication-assisted treatment (also called MAT). NAS in babies may be easier to treat for babies whose moms get MAT during pregnancy. Medicines used in MAT include methadone and buprenorphine.

• If you’re pregnant and you go to a provider who prescribes medicine to treat a health condition, make sure that provider knows you’re pregnant. You may need to stop taking certain medicines or change to medicine that’s safer for your baby. Ask all your health care providers if the medicine you take—even prescription drugs—can cause NAS in your baby. Even if you use a prescription drug exactly as your provider tells you to, it may cause NAS in your baby.

• If you’re pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, tell your provider about any drugs or medicine you take. Your provider can make sure that what you’re taking is safe for you and your baby. She also can help you get treatment for using street drugs or abusing prescription drugs if you need it. If you abuse prescription drugs, it means you take more than has been prescribed for you, you take someone else’s prescription drug, or you get the drug from someone without a prescription.

• If you’re not pregnant and you use any drug that can cause NAS: Use birth control until you’re ready to get pregnant. Birth control (also called contraception or family planning) helps keep you from getting pregnant. Examples include intrauterine devices (also called IUDs), implants, the pill and condoms.