News (Media Awareness Project) - CN BC: Editorial: Born Chained |
| Title: | CN BC: Editorial: Born Chained |
| Published On: | 2008-04-07 |
| Source: | Prince George Citizen (CN BC) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-04-10 18:04:48 |
BORN CHAINED
As a pediatrician, Dr. Marie Hay has dedicated her working life to
improving the well-being of infants.
It must be a frustrating and heartbreaking job at times.
Hay has been working at Prince George Regional Hospital for many years
so she is in a position to recognize trends among her delicate patients.
She has seen a staggering tenfold increase in the number of
drug-addicted babies born at PGRH in the past decade. Hay says fully
five per cent of the babies born at PGRH are exposed to drugs in the
womb.
Last year, 43 babies at PGRH were identified with a drug addiction, a
number Hay believes is lower than the actual total. If hospital staff
suspect a baby has been exposed to drugs, they can only conduct a test
with the mother's permission, or if the baby has been apprehended by
the province.
Drug withdrawal symptoms in babies is becoming so common, staff
recognize the signs right away. According to Hay, quoted in Saturday's
Citizen, the signs include diarrhea, vomiting, sweating,
tremulousness, rapid heart rate, fast breathing and high-pitched crying.
Because their mothers were users of drugs like crack cocaine, crystal
meth or heroin while pregnant, they passed the drugs' destructive
effects on to their innocent babies, many of whom begin life with
regular doses of morphine or Valium.
How many of these babies will return to drug addiction in 15 or 20
years and repeat the cycle?
It can't be said often enough. Any drug -- including alcohol and
nicotine -- is harmful to developing fetuses. The fleeting feeling of
satisfaction derived from using drugs during pregnancy is potentially
setting these babies up for a lifetime of problems too numerous to
list.
Ridding our society of drugs is a pipe dream, unfortunately, but no
baby has to be born addicted. The worsening trend is proof that
anti-drug messages and initiatives are far less powerful than the
drugs themselves.
Prince George needs more support services to help addicted mothers
beat their battle and give their babies a fighting chance in life.
As a pediatrician, Dr. Marie Hay has dedicated her working life to
improving the well-being of infants.
It must be a frustrating and heartbreaking job at times.
Hay has been working at Prince George Regional Hospital for many years
so she is in a position to recognize trends among her delicate patients.
She has seen a staggering tenfold increase in the number of
drug-addicted babies born at PGRH in the past decade. Hay says fully
five per cent of the babies born at PGRH are exposed to drugs in the
womb.
Last year, 43 babies at PGRH were identified with a drug addiction, a
number Hay believes is lower than the actual total. If hospital staff
suspect a baby has been exposed to drugs, they can only conduct a test
with the mother's permission, or if the baby has been apprehended by
the province.
Drug withdrawal symptoms in babies is becoming so common, staff
recognize the signs right away. According to Hay, quoted in Saturday's
Citizen, the signs include diarrhea, vomiting, sweating,
tremulousness, rapid heart rate, fast breathing and high-pitched crying.
Because their mothers were users of drugs like crack cocaine, crystal
meth or heroin while pregnant, they passed the drugs' destructive
effects on to their innocent babies, many of whom begin life with
regular doses of morphine or Valium.
How many of these babies will return to drug addiction in 15 or 20
years and repeat the cycle?
It can't be said often enough. Any drug -- including alcohol and
nicotine -- is harmful to developing fetuses. The fleeting feeling of
satisfaction derived from using drugs during pregnancy is potentially
setting these babies up for a lifetime of problems too numerous to
list.
Ridding our society of drugs is a pipe dream, unfortunately, but no
baby has to be born addicted. The worsening trend is proof that
anti-drug messages and initiatives are far less powerful than the
drugs themselves.
Prince George needs more support services to help addicted mothers
beat their battle and give their babies a fighting chance in life.
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