The United States is currently facing a growing epidemic of opioid use. Opioid use disorder recognizes no age. Infants exposed to opioids in utero can experience acute withdrawal from these opioids, which is called neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. This serious matter poses a significant challenge for hospitals to determine the most effective way to treat this population for optimal outcomes. This capstone project aimed to compare two sets of data by performing a 1-year restrospective chart review of infants diagnosed with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome who did not receive the Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) program in 2019, and a 1-year restrospective chart review of infants receiving the ESC program in 2023. The data was used to compare whether there were any significant differences in length of stay. The investigator also gathered data regarding when the infants were transferred to the special care nursery and when occupational therapy was involved. These results of this data have the potential to inform how beneficial occupational therapy is in leading an ESC program in the future.
