'Heroin babies' skyrocketing in N.J. as statewide epidemic grips newborns | NJ.

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9/15/16, 11:59 AM

'Heroin babies' skyrocketing in N.J. as statewide

epidemic grips newborns

An infant being treated by doctors at Children's Specialized Hospital. This child is not a part of the Neonatal
Abstinence Program. (Courtesy of Children's Specialized Hospital)

By Stephen Stirling | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on August 12, 2016 at 7:00 AM, updated August 12, 2016 at 7:44 AM

They scream and writhe. They vomit and sweat. They shake uncontrollably.
They are literally born into suering.
The heroin epidemic in New Jersey has taken a staggering toll on its residents over the last decade, but in few places is this
more apparent than the Neonatal Intensive Care Units around the state.
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'Heroin babies' skyrocketing in N.J. as statewide epidemic grips newborns | NJ.com

9/15/16, 11:59 AM

An analysis by NJ Advance Media shows that in some parts of New Jersey, more than one out of every 50 babies in 2014 was born
with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) dependent on drugs their mother ingested during pregnancy.
In 2014, the most recent year data is available, 638 babies were born with NAS, a gure that has nearly doubled since 2008.

"It's heartbreaking. You just want to pick these babies up and hold them in your arms," said Sharon Burke, Director of Infant and
Toddler Rehabilitation at Children's Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick. "Ten years ago it was a problem, but we'd see it from a
variety of medications and drugs cocaine, alcohol, all sorts of things. Over the last ve years, it has really narrowed down to
opioid use, and it's increasing."
Statewide, about 6.4 of every 1,000 babies born in 2014 were diagnosed with NAS, according to data from the New Jersey
Department of Health.
But in areas hit hardest by the heroin and opioid epidemic, the rate is much more troubling. In Burlington, Camden, Gloucester,
Salem and Sussex counties, more than 1 out of every 100 babies is born with NAS. In Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland
counties, it's more than one out of 50.

See the rates of NAS in your county with our interactive map
Mothers struggling with addiction can pass on chemical dependencies to their unborn child in pregnancy, Burke said. When a
child is born and that link is broken, a newborn can quickly begin going through withdrawal.
Neonatal abstinence syndrome is characterized by unconsolable irritability, vomiting, diarrhea, high blood pressure and increased
muscle contractions. Serious cases can lead to seizures and research by Children's Specialized Hospital suggest it can
cause long-term developmental issues.
"The important thing people need to know is that this is treatable," Burke said. "We need to take a very human approach and not
judge mothers. We all make mistakes and this is a big one but it's one we can treat," Burke said. "90 percent of our newborns go
home with their biological mothers."
The trend in NAS cases mirror substance abuse trends in New Jersey. Heroin and opioid use has mushroomed in the Garden
State over the last decade, killing more than 5,000 and enslaving at least 128,000.

Welcome to Herointown, New Jersey's 4th-largest city

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'Heroin babies' skyrocketing in N.J. as statewide epidemic grips newborns | NJ.com

9/15/16, 11:59 AM

Children's Specialized Hospital's Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome program has been a leader in treating infants born into
addiction and has conducted research on the condition's long-term impacts.
Burke said newborns can be treated through a combination of opioid weaning using morphine or an opioid substitute like
methadone or Buprenorphine and various therapeutic practices to soothe an infant struggling with withdrawal.
She said it's equally important to treat the mother as well as the child and, while not ideal, sees it as an opportunity for a new
mother to use the experience as a catalyst to address their own addiction.
"We're starting to take a stab at really understanding the genetic predispositions and the impact that addiction can have," Burke
said. "The more we know, the more we can help these babies live long and meaningful lives."
Burke will be hosting a symposium on NAS at the Children's Specialized Hospital on Sept. 30.

Click or tap on the map to bring up more details for each county.

Stephen Stirling may be reached at sstirling@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @sstirling. Find him on Facebook.

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