ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Doctors treating babies exposed to opioids now have $2.5 million more reasons to continue their work.
Thanks to an anonymous donor, the money will be used to create a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Follow-up Clinic on the main campus of Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital to take care of babies through various forms of therapy and medicines through age five, according to a news release.
The treatments include occupational, physical and speech therapy.
"It’s hard to overstate the relevance or the impact of this generous donation," said Jenine Rabin, executive vice president of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Foundation in the release. "At a time when so many in our communities are struggling with opioid addiction, these funds will bring critical services to the babies and young children who may suffer the serious, long-term effects of exposure to these drugs.
"This gift gives these little ones more than a fighting chance for a healthy life."
Babies exposed to opioids in utero including heroin and methadone have the potential to have Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, a type of withdraw. Florida has seen a large increase in cases of opioid-addicted babies: 4,215 such babies were born in 2016, with 579 babies in Hillsborough County -- leading the state, 176 babies in Pinellas County and 114 in Sarasota County.
In addition to the new clinic, officials say they will expand services at the John Hopkins All Children's Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Specialty Clinic in Sarasota.
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