NAS Awareness Event Held In Cookeville Today

The Upper Cumberland Council on Children and Youth helped bring more awareness to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome during an event in Cookeville Wednesday.

NAS is a problem where babies are exposed to opiates from a mother during pregnancy and born with withdrawal symptoms.

Blue Care Tennessee Chief Medical Officer Jeanne James said more can always be done to tackle the NAS issue.

“This is a complicated problem and we’ve got to attack it with all of the tools that we have at our disposal,” James said. “From the health care standpoint, the legislative standpoint, law enforcement, and mental health. We’ve got to bring all of those things to bare because it’s such a big problem.”

James talked to the audience Wednesday about care techniques. The important things to look for in the baby, how to make sure the baby bonds with the mother and family, and making sure the baby gets the best start in life.