Developmental Outcomes of Children Born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS): A Scoping Review.

Aims: The purpose of this scoping review is to provide an overview of developmental outcomes of children diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).

Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework was used to guide this scoping review. A comprehensive search of CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PsycINFO was conducted using search terms related to NAS and developmental areas. Full-text screening was completed for 30 articles, and eight studies were included in this review.

Results: Cognitive and language development, as well as school performance, social and motor domains, may be areas of concern in children with NAS.

Conclusions: The developmental outcomes of infants with NAS cannot be firmly determined due to inconsistent results across reviewed studies. Future research investigating development across various ages is required for rending more appropriate intervention services to this high-risk population.