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“I’m proud that Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is on the cutting edge of care, and I am grateful to Scott Wexelblatt and his team for sharing their critical findings with my colleagues from across the country. We can better fight the opioid crisis and its consequences by sharing these success stories and innovative approaches to treating victims of opioid abuse,”

Wenstrup Welcomes Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to Capitol

Washington, February 28, 2018 Contact: Ann Tumolo (202-225-3164)
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brad Wenstrup (OH-02) welcomed health care professionals from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to the Capitol to discuss their innovative universal testing approach to identifying and treating newborn babies exposed to opioids.  Congressman Wenstrup and Regional Director of Newborn Services at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Scott Wexelblatt released the following statements after the briefing:

“I’m proud that Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is on the cutting edge of care, and I am grateful to Scott Wexelblatt and his team for sharing their critical findings with my colleagues from across the country.  We can better fight the opioid crisis and its consequences by sharing these success stories and innovative approaches to treating victims of opioid abuse,” said Congressman Brad Wenstrup.

Scott Wexelblatt said, “As our nation continues to confront a deep and far-reaching opioid and related drug abuse crisis, more attention is needed on treating the youngest and most vulnerable victims of abuse – newborn babies. A transition from risk-based screening to universal testing should lead to prompt identification and initiation of treatment for babies born after in utero opioid exposure, and better health outcomes and lower healthcare costs overall.”

Background:

  • Newborn babies exposed to opioid use in utero are at risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), which involves withdrawal symptoms, medical complications, and in extreme circumstances death. 
  • Previously, hospitals administered verbal questionnaires to expectant mothers to determine if a baby is at risk for NAS. 
  • In 2012, Cincinnati Children’s hospital began universally testing expectant mothers to determine if their child is at risk for NAS.  
  • Cincinnati Children’s Hospital found that without their universal testing approach, they would have missed 23% of babies at risk for NAS. Universal testing is now used by 18 maternity hospitals in the Cincinnati region.
  • Click HERE to read more about Cincinnati Children’s Innovative Approaches to Prompt Identification and Treatment of Newborns Exposed to Opioids.