Whilst attending the adoption panels it has become clear that many of the prospective parents ask about the antenatal drug exposure of the babies and what that means for the future for these children. They are given fairly vague advice and told that we can’t be sure of the outcome and so are left with some uncertainty. Is it possible to give them better and clearer advice?

In babies exposed to in-utero illegal drugs [patients] and developing neonatal absitinence syndrome [risk factor] what are the long term developmental and behavioural outcomes [outcome].

Author

Anna Gregory (Paediatric SpR, Yorkshire deanery. anna@gregory.ms)