Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Who Receives SLP Services in the NICU?

Authors' Affiliations

Emily Horstman, Department of Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Kelsi Sanders, Department of Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Makaela Nava-Sifuentes, Department of Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Spencer Townsend, Department of Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Caroline H. Bowman, Department of Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Kerry Proctor-Williams, Department of Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Niki Carder, Niswonger Children's Hospital, Ballad Health, Johnson City, TN

Location

Ballroom

Start Date

4-12-2019 9:00 AM

End Date

4-12-2019 2:30 PM

Poster Number

98

Faculty Sponsor’s Department

Audiology & Speech Pathology

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Kerry Proctor-Williams

Classification of First Author

Graduate Student-Master’s

Type

Poster: Competitive

Project's Category

Neonatal Disorders, Speech and Language Disorders

Abstract or Artist's Statement

Introduction

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a health condition in infants that results from the sudden discontinuation of substances that infants were exposed to in utero (Kocherlakota, 2014). Typical symptoms include: hyperirritability, sweating, hypertension, tremors, sleep deprivation, and seizures (Kocherlakota, 2014). The role of a SLP in treating infants with NAS in the NICU includes evaluation, assessment, and treatment of the feeding cycle. Our research is an early exploratory and descriptive study of the pre-natal, peri-natal, and post-natal characteristics of infants with NAS who required SLP assessment and intervention as opposed to those who did not. Our aim was to examine possible predictors of infants with feeding and swallowing difficulties.

Methods

Data was collected from a local hospital system that conducted a five-year retrospective chart review study. From charts of 140 infants in the NICU, infants were placed into two groups: infants who received SLP services (SLP group) and infants who did not receive SLP services (NSLP group). From those charts, 26 infants with NAS who received SLP services were placed in SLP group based on the availability of a match in NSLP group. Infants in both groups were matched based on gestational age, year of birth, and gender.

Results/Conclusion

There were no significant differences found between SLP group and NSLP groups in: number of prenatal visits, week/timing of initial prenatal visit, and dosage of buprenorphine taken by the mother. The two groups did not differ (all ps>.18) in their types of drug use, average dosage of buprenorphine taken, average number of prenatal visits, or average week of first visit.

There was a statistically significant difference in maternal age in the SLP group (p<.05; M=29.7 years, SD=5.4) and in NSLP group (M=26.7 years, SD=4.3.). There was no statistically significant difference in initial measurements of weight, head circumference, length, Apgar scores at birth, and number of complications between groups.

There were no significant differences found in NAS scores between groups regarding the highest NAS score or average NAS score, number of NAS scores and first day of collection or number of days collected. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of prescription drugs administered. Infants in SLP group had more prescription drugs on average (M=1.50, SD=.89) than NSLP group (M=1.04, SD=.20). There was a statistically significant difference in the amount of weight gained (SLP group gained 229 more grams) and in infant length of stay and overall cost (SLP group on average stayed in the NICU one week longer and cost $22,896 more).

Little research has been conducted regarding NAS and the impact it has on feeding and swallowing. We found that there are statistically significant differences among infants who were in SLP and NSLP groups. It cannot be determined how many full-term infants have dysphagia; however, from a clinical opinion it is thought that most full-term babies with dysphagia also have a neurological impairment.

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Apr 12th, 9:00 AM Apr 12th, 2:30 PM

Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Who Receives SLP Services in the NICU?

Ballroom

Introduction

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a health condition in infants that results from the sudden discontinuation of substances that infants were exposed to in utero (Kocherlakota, 2014). Typical symptoms include: hyperirritability, sweating, hypertension, tremors, sleep deprivation, and seizures (Kocherlakota, 2014). The role of a SLP in treating infants with NAS in the NICU includes evaluation, assessment, and treatment of the feeding cycle. Our research is an early exploratory and descriptive study of the pre-natal, peri-natal, and post-natal characteristics of infants with NAS who required SLP assessment and intervention as opposed to those who did not. Our aim was to examine possible predictors of infants with feeding and swallowing difficulties.

Methods

Data was collected from a local hospital system that conducted a five-year retrospective chart review study. From charts of 140 infants in the NICU, infants were placed into two groups: infants who received SLP services (SLP group) and infants who did not receive SLP services (NSLP group). From those charts, 26 infants with NAS who received SLP services were placed in SLP group based on the availability of a match in NSLP group. Infants in both groups were matched based on gestational age, year of birth, and gender.

Results/Conclusion

There were no significant differences found between SLP group and NSLP groups in: number of prenatal visits, week/timing of initial prenatal visit, and dosage of buprenorphine taken by the mother. The two groups did not differ (all ps>.18) in their types of drug use, average dosage of buprenorphine taken, average number of prenatal visits, or average week of first visit.

There was a statistically significant difference in maternal age in the SLP group (p<.05; M=29.7 years, SD=5.4) and in NSLP group (M=26.7 years, SD=4.3.). There was no statistically significant difference in initial measurements of weight, head circumference, length, Apgar scores at birth, and number of complications between groups.

There were no significant differences found in NAS scores between groups regarding the highest NAS score or average NAS score, number of NAS scores and first day of collection or number of days collected. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of prescription drugs administered. Infants in SLP group had more prescription drugs on average (M=1.50, SD=.89) than NSLP group (M=1.04, SD=.20). There was a statistically significant difference in the amount of weight gained (SLP group gained 229 more grams) and in infant length of stay and overall cost (SLP group on average stayed in the NICU one week longer and cost $22,896 more).

Little research has been conducted regarding NAS and the impact it has on feeding and swallowing. We found that there are statistically significant differences among infants who were in SLP and NSLP groups. It cannot be determined how many full-term infants have dysphagia; however, from a clinical opinion it is thought that most full-term babies with dysphagia also have a neurological impairment.