(8/28/2012)

Kentucky sees surge in addicted infants
By Laura Ungar

USA Today News

August 26, 2012

More than half the babies in University Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit one day this month were suffering from drug withdrawal. 

Kentucky has seen its hospitalizations for addicted newborns climb from 29 in 2000 to 730 last year. The state's 2,400% increase dwarfs by comparison a disturbing national rise of 330% found in a study that examined hospitalizations from 2000 to 2009.

While state officials and doctors say the hospitalization statistics reflect newborns suffering withdrawal from all types of drugs, they blame prescription pills for the dramatic increase. And even as growing awareness and better diagnoses play a role in the rising numbers, they say rampant abuse is driving the rise.

View the full article here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-08-26/kentucky-babies-addiction/57331390/1?csp=34news

Keywords: Kentucky, surge, addicted, infants