Objectives
• Recognize and diagnose NOWS
o Identify common clinical manifestations of NOWS using standardized assessment tools (e.g., Finnegan Scoring, Eat-Sleep-Console method).
• Understand the pathophysiology of opioid withdrawal in neonates and factors influencing severity.
• Assess an infant with NOWS and apply ESC to the scenario to determine treatment
• Evaluate and implement current best practices for managing NOWS
• Compare and contrast non-pharmacologic (rooming-in, breastfeeding, skin-to-skin) vs. pharmacologic (morphine, methadone, clonidine) interventions.
o Understand the role of maternal opioid replacement therapy (buprenorphine vs. methadone) in reducing NOWS severity.
• Critically assess emerging pharmacologic treatments
• Analyze recent research on clonidine monotherapy and buprenorphine as alternatives to traditional opioid-based therapies.
o Discuss the potential benefits and risks of alternative pharmacologic strategies in reducing hospital stay and improving neonatal outcomes.
• Understand the long-term neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes of opioid-exposed infants
• Examine neuroimaging and neurodevelopmental studies highlighting white matter changes and cognitive risks in opioid-exposed infants.
o Explore strategies for early intervention and developmental follow-up for high-risk infants.
• Apply a multidisciplinary and family-centered approach to NOWS management
• Discuss the importance of family engagement, social determinants of health, and policy changes in improving neonatal outcomes.