Listening Time — 32:50
Opioid addiction is a national epidemic. It reaches beyond drug users to, in some cases, their newborn children. The condition is called neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS. It occurs in newborns exposed to opiates in the womb and then experience withdrawal after birth.
In this episode, a team of health care providers, who work together to treat NAS, share their insights. Divya Rana, MD, physical therapist Bertie Gatlin, and occupational therapist Kalyani Garde discuss the signs and symptoms. They also talk about treatment in the hospital and beyond.
Learn more about neonatal abstinence syndrome.
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Divya Rana, MD, is a neonatal doctor in Memphis, Tennessee. She is treats patients at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, and the Regional Medical Center. She is board-certified in pediatrics and neonatal–perinatal medicine. She has lectured on NAS, and is presently involved research on the condition.
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Bertie Gatlin, PT, DSc, is a board-certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy. She is an assistant professor at Emory & Henry College in Virginia. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Physical Therapy. For over 28 years she worked with newborns in neonatal intensive care and follow-up care. She also conducts research on NICU sound levels, wound care, and obtaining developmental milestones.
Kalyani Garde, OTR, has more than 17 years of experience as an occupational therapist. She specializes in pediatric neurology. She has worked in acute care, outpatient, early intervention, and pediatric clinics. In the NICU, she advocates for family-centered care and infant massage instruction. She also teaches interns about occupational therapy in the NICU, with a focus on the neurodevelopmental approach.
