BABIES AND DRUGS

The number of babies being born addicted to drugs at Prince George
Regional Hospital has increased 1,000 per cent over the past decade,
according to hospital vice-president of medical staff and
paediatrician Dr. Marie Hay.

A decade ago, paediatricians gave four to five babies a year
detoxification treatments, Hay said.

"We have one a week, on average. When you're talking about five per
cent of the population, that's a lot," she said. "The predominant drug
of choice is crack cocaine. Cocaine and alcohol go hand in hand.
Because people who binge on cocaine also tend to binge on alcohol,
it's hard to tell which caused the brain damage."

Those numbers only reflect the number of cases doctors are able to
detect, Hay added.

Routine urine tests only detect 25 per cent of cases, she said. More
expensive blood and stool tests are more effective.

"We have to get parental consent to drug test their babies. Some
people will refuse because they don't want us to know," she added.
"Withdraw symptoms can take two or three days to present. Because
they're very challenging babies, if they go home to an unstable
situation they may be more likely to be hit or shaken."

Anonymous studies done recently in Toronto showed 6.7 per cent of
babies born there are suffering drug withdrawal symptoms and up to 13
per cent in some downtown hospitals.

"We haven't done those anonymous studies here, and I think we would
come up with a much higher figure," Hay said.

The mixture of cocaine and alcohol in the body can be fatal to unborn
babies. Cocaine, methamphetamine and nicotine can constrict blood flow
to the fetus' brain, heart or kidneys. Drug exposure in the womb is
one of the leading causes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

"Organ damage due to the arteries constricting down can occur before
the baby is born," she said.

Babies suffering from exposure to opiates like cocaine can go through
severe withdrawal symptoms and may need to be treated with morphine,
she said.

Stimulants like nicotine can make children fussy and difficult to
handle, she said.

"There is a high level of people taking drugs and alcohol during
pregnancy - Northern Health regional director of preventive public
health Kathy MacDonald said they regard pregnant addicts as their,
"most priority patients."

The health authority offers prevention, intervention and
rehabilitation services for addicts of child-bearing age. Northern
Health partners with local agencies like the Northern Family Health
Society and the Central Interior Native Health Society.

"One of the biggest challenges is identifying who those people are and
reaching them," MacDonald said. "One thing we need to acknowledge is
it's a very complex problem that has roots that go way beyond a pregnancy."

More work needs to be done to address the causes of addiction like
poverty, violence, education and family dynamics.

The health authority maintains a prenatal registry which includes as
many pregnant women as possible, she said.

They try to make sure every pregnant woman in the city receives
information pamphlets with contacts for a wide range of health services.

"But it depends on that person being interested in a contact from the
prenatal registry. There is a bit of a balance to outreach... without
harassing them."