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Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perceptions of Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics, assessment, and treatment of infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) as perceived by Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) and whether it differed from those of other Neonatal Intensive Care Unit populations.
Methods: A secure web-based questionnaire with 62 questions collected information on NAS, caseloads, treatment environment, and demographics. Twenty-six respondents initiated the survey; 42% completed most or all questions. Response analyses included descriptive and nonparametric inferential statistics.
Results: Infants with NAS were on the caseloads of 73% of respondents. The majority (79%) only saw infants with NAS and feeding problems. Primary problems included incomplete or increased time to complete feeds, increased/excessive/irregular sucking rates, and reflux. Working on teams, respondents provided assessment, treatment, and education of infant feeding and state.
Conclusion: Growing demand for SLP intervention with infants with NAS is likely to persist if opioid use continues to increase as projected.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-5108
Date01 August 2019
CreatorsFabrize, Lauren
PublisherDigital Commons @ East Tennessee State University
Source SetsEast Tennessee State University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
SourceElectronic Theses and Dissertations
RightsCopyright 2019 by Lauren E. Fabrize, All Rights Reserved

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