An infant born at 35 weeks' gestation to a mother with no prenatal care is noted to be jittery and irritable, and is having difficulty feeding. You note coarse tremors on examination. The nurses repo a high-pitched cry and note several episodes of diarrhea and emesis. You suspect the infant is withdrawing from
Alcohol
Marijuana
Heroin
Cocaine
Infants born to narcotic addicts are more likely than other children to exhibit a variety of problems, including perinatal complications, prematurity, and low bih weight. The onset of withdrawal commonly occurs during an infant's first 2 days of life and is characterized by hyperirritability and coarse tremors, along with vomiting, diarrhea, fever, high-pitched cry, and hyperventilation; seizures and respiratory depression are less common.The production of surfactant can be accelerated in the infant of a heroin-addicted mother.