SCIENCE
IN PLAIN ENGLISH
We collect the latest data from scientists who study the impacts of prenatal substance exposure. Below you will find easy to read explanations, along with links to the published articles.
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Do opioid-exposed children have the same pain sensitivity as their non-exposed peers?
Pain impacts the life of any parent whose kiddo suffers the bumps, scratches, and other boo-boos of childhood. Do opioid-exposed children have the same pain sensitivity as their non-exposed peers?
The reachers conducting this study were interested in this question, as well as how adults with prenatal opioid exposure perceive pain. It was the treatment of pain, after all, that started our country’s opioid epidemic. If opioid-exposed children experience stronger levels of pain, will they turn to opioids for relief?
Detox During Pregnancy Benefits the Fetus
A report that begins with the following line, “A professional organization does not recommend opioid detoxification in pregnancy.” but starts its Conclusion with this statement, “Detoxifying from opioids in pregnancy does not appear to harm the fetus,” may leave one scratching their head.
Let’s break it down into plain English…
Prenatal Opioid Exposure and Risk of Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Children
A large study from South Korea was published last week with headlines like this;
Opioids in Pregnancy ‘Not Linked’ to High Risk of Child Disorders
Prenatal Opioid Exposure Not Tied to Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Offspring
Could this be true? An exploration of the data is necessary to confirm or deny this broad-reaching statement.
NOWS: An Update on Developmental Outcomes
Scientists are discovering increasingly more about kids who were exposed to opioids before birth. This study examined the latest discoveries to provide an updated understanding of what we know about this group.
Key Points
Generation O, The Other 1%
While occasionally still noteworthy in the National news, the Opioid Epidemic gets far less attention these days. Stories that do air center around overdose deaths. But what about the births? The births of babies exposed to opioids in their mother’s womb. They have a lifetime ahead of them, and due to traumatic injuries, it’s likely to be more challenging for the baby and their caregiver.