JOHNSON CITY – The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recognized ETSU Health’s Baby Steps clinic as a “Promising Practice” for enhancing primary care services for children and families
affected by prenatal opioid exposure.
The Baby Steps Clinic is an interdisciplinary clinic at ETSU Health Pediatrics that cares for the complex needs of children from birth to 5 years who have been
affected by prenatal substance exposure.
“The purpose of the clinic is to partner with families in recovery and ensure the
best possible outcomes for children exposed to substances before birth,” said Dr.
Dianna Puhr, Baby Steps medical director.
The Baby Steps team consists of a group of providers from various disciplines, including
a care coordinator, audiologist, registered dietitian, speech-language pathologist,
occupational therapist, physical therapist, and board-certified pediatrician, as well
as community partners from Tennessee Early Intervention Services and Families Free,
a licensed substance abuse treatment and mental health provider.
The team works closely together to provide specialized developmental screening, specific
tips to try at home to encourage healthy development, referrals for additional evaluations
when needed, as well as coordination of additional services and recovery supports
for the family.
“The clinic serves a vital role in our community as our region has seen increasing
numbers of infants affected by prenatal substance exposure,” Puhr said. “Since the
early 2000s, the incidence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in Tennessee increased
by ten-fold, far exceeding the national three-fold increase over the same time period.”
Prenatal drug exposure can have short- and long-term effects on the growth, development,
learning, and behavior of children. The clinic works to identify any needs early and
provide appropriate interventions in order to support the child’s development and
help the child reach his/her full potential.
To learn more about Baby Steps, visit www.etsu.edu/com/pediatrics/babystepsclinic.php. To learn more about the AAP Promising Practice program, visit www.aap.org/en/patient-care/opioids/maternal-infant-health-and-opioid-use-program/promising-practices/.
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