loader image
Thursday, September 21, 2023
88 F
McAllen
We Welcome your Press Release
- Advertisement -

October is Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Awareness Month

Translate to Spanish or other 102 languages!

Pictured L-R: Behavioral Health Solutions intervention specialists Beatrice Sanchez, Patrick Martinez, & Tanya Prado.

Mega Doctor News

- Advertisement -

Pharr, TX – Over the past few years, the use of opioids and opioid derivatives in the United States has rapidly increased. As a result, there has been an increase in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS).

NAS refers to symptoms in a newborn that appear when the newborn no longer gets a substance or medication it was exposed to before birth, typically an opioid. Following national trends, opioid use among pregnant women has increased in Texas with approximately one out of every four pregnant women admitted to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) funded addiction treatment programs being dependent upon opioids. Consequently, DSHS found rates of NAS in Texas have increased by almost 60% over the past 5 years.

Behavioral Health Solutions has two intervention programs that aim to help parents and newborns with NAS: ‘Parenting Awareness and Drug Risk Education’ (P.A.D.R.E.) geared toward fathers, and ‘Caring for Mommies’ for mothers. Tanya Prado, intervention specialist with Caring for Mommies says that prenatal care is very important to decrease the severity and duration of drug withdrawal symptoms that the baby could experience. “We encourage mothers that are drug dependent to get assistance as early as possible,” says Prado. “Babies suffering from NAS have special needs when compared to others, but there are a number of techniques we can teach parents to help their babies as they recover.”

- Advertisement -

Caring for Mommies provides resources for pregnant women who need help. For more information visit www.bhsst.org or call (956) 787-7111, ext. 246 or ext. 228. For medical needs, women are encouraged to call an obstetrician or contact a local hospital.

The mission of Behavioral Health Solutions is to provide a multilevel approach inclusive of prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery to reduce substance abuse and related co-existing conditions in our communities, encourage healthier lifestyles related to at-risk public health behaviors, and promote stronger families.

For more information about future conferences or Behavioral Health Solutions, or to become a volunteer, please visit our website at www.bhsst.org. You can also join our efforts through our social media at Facebook.com/bhsofsouthtexas, Twitter.com/bhsst, or Instagram.com/bhs_st.

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -

More Articles

Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health: Improving the Juvenile Justice Process, Sept. 26th

Through the workshop, facilitators and participants will identifyopportunities for linkage to services and for prevention of further penetration into the juvenile justice system.

Dr. Sujan Gogu, Triple Board-Certified Physician Specializing in Family, Sports & Pain Medicine Joins DHR Health

As the sole triple board-certified physician specializing in these disciplines in the Rio Grande Valley, Dr. Gogu is deeply committed to medical education.

$55k Donation to STC Foundation for Healthcare Program Development & Scholarships 

“This is a very significant and welcome donation by South Texas Health System,” said Ricardo Solis, Ph.D., president of South Texas College.

More Dollars, More Doctors, More Care for Kids in South Texas

What does that generous support mean for a not-for-profit children’s hospital? For starters, it means we will begrowing— fast.
- Advertisement -
×