Oxycontin, Infants & Prescription Drugs

As Purdue Pharma, manufacturer of the infamous OxyContin painkiller, prepares and tests an intended new formula – OxyContin medication for infants – reports are in from around the world that there are more babies born today, addicted to Oxy – than there are to crack.

The crack addicted baby is an infant born to a crack using mother. Apart from low birth weight and a wide range of developmental problems, the crack baby is born into crack withdrawal. No loving bonding for the crack addicted baby- he goes into a detox ward – his mother back to the street.

see article :

In Florida, USA, notorious for it’s “pill mills” – prescription drug overdose deaths have risen by over 250% between 2003 and 2009. Officials are also concerned that in Florida there are hundreds of babies born addicted to drugs. In 2010, around 1,300 new borns were admitted to neonatal care in Florida – suffering from prescription drug withdrawal.

Mary Osuch Head Nurse of Broward General neo-natal care paints a dismal picture of the drug addicted infants who are “crampy and miserable, have rapid breathing and sweats – sometimes they will even have seizures”.

see article:

According to White House press statements – you can forget about crank, cocaine and cannabis – prescription drug abuse is the nation’s fastest growing drug problem, and most widely used and abused is the opioid oxycodone – most frequently found and used under the brand name OxyContin.

Part of the problem for Oxy addicted babies is that their mothers never realized, were not advised about the highly addictive properties of the opiate analgesics such as oxycodone, and combination medications that contain an opiate.

The problem continues for infants born and breastfed by their prescription drug addicted mothers – opiates in breastmilk cause a baby to be drowsy, and otherwise suffer the consequences of a “sluggish” under functioning system.

Issues for infants born to drug addicted mothers are of concern – there is now an increasing tendency to treat infants directly with prescription medications. Of major concern is the prescription of antipsychotics for children. Highly represented in this category are the children of servicemen actively fighting in places like Iraq or Afghanistan. The natural anxiety that such children feel is often expressed as bad and seemingly irrational behavior. The result is that, as the problem has no solution, military kids are routinely medicated for stress with antipsychotic medications.

see article: military kids

Young children are also at risk when medicated with codeine. Codeine has been used for 200 years – but never rigorously tested. Now it appears that codeine side effects are worse than first thought, and can cause death in young children. The Toronto Hospital for Sick Kids has since 2010 been looking to phase out it’s reliance of codeine – it could take some time.

Meanwhile, prescription drugs for children remain the treatment of preference in healthcare by modern day medicine that by it’s own admission places almost exclusive reliance on medication with drugs.

Of great concern for many people has been the recent development of medicating children for ADHD and other behavioral problems. In Canada, millions of Ritalin doses for children, and some adults, are prescribed for the purpose of regulating attention deficits. It seems a paradox that a stimulant drug can make a child less hyperexcited, and more ready to settle down and attend to school work

Interestingly, some children diagnosed with ADHD, and given Ritalin have said that  Ritalin does not make them feel alert, and inspired – in fact they feel very much slowed down by the Ritalin medication. It would seem that most kids with ADHD have some level of depression and that their frequent acting out at high energy levels is a way of trying to counterbalance and to overcome feelings of anxiety or depression. Not a real “choice” by the child, but a form of compulsion in response to negative feelings - perhaps frustration, boredom, perhaps anger or hostility.

see article:

Ritalin highlights the pro-drug mentality that puts the focus on medication, rather than an exploration of family issues, social values and the relevence of the total school environment in the life of the child with ADHD. The drug medication approach to pain and disease is very similar in principle, with the use of medical drugs preventing the exploration of more natural and effective non-toxic tonics and restoratives, and methods for restoring a healthy balance in body and mind.

Lori Montgomery, speaking for the Calgary Chronic Pain Centre, in 2010 said phasing out (prescription painkiller drugs) is “premature” because there aren’t many pain relief alternatives out there.

see article:

People concerned about prescription drugs for young children and a possible lack of natural, healthy alternatives need not worry at all. There are so many drug free pain alternatives that no one has as yet compiled a comprehensive list.

When considering using natural healthy alternatives to prescription and OTC drugs, particularly for infants and young children, it is a step in the right direction towards winning the war against drugs.

 



One Response to “Oxycontin, Infants & Prescription Drugs”

1. Danielle Doremus says:

   September 9, 2011 at 6:08 am

   We are here to help if you want it.