The Current Opioid Epidemic

 The Impact on Youth 

Parental opioid addiction has severe effects on children and youth.   These include:
 
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome experienced by babies born to opioid addicts.  These infants experience opioid withdrawal symptoms at birth including severe irritability, feeding difficulty, breathing problems and seizures.  Prenatal exposure to opioids has been associated with increased risk of developmental disabilities in early childhood. (10)
 
Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experience.  The negative impact of parental opioid abuse on children is substantial.  Youth raised in families with opioid addiction live in highly unstable environments characterized by pre-occupation with drug-seeking, neglect, maltreatment and trauma, including the trauma of parental overdose, absence and incarceration.  The adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) suffered in families with an opioid addicted parent significantly increase the chances that children will do poorly in school and resort to problematic drug use themselves. (11)
 
Family Breakdown
 
The incapacity of addicted parents to function leads to altered family life and family breakdown. Within the addict family a common adaptation is for older children, especially girls, to assume adult responsibilities, including responsibility for younger children.  When the addict parent stops functioning children are frequently raised by relatives, most often grandparents.  The child’s welfare will depend on the health and capacity of the grandparent.  Due to opioid addiction the number of children sent to foster homes has been increasing.  (12)
 
Misuse of Prescription Drugs
 
Of particular concern is the number of school aged youth currently misusing prescription opioids.   7.2 percent of school age youth report current misuse of prescription opioids, and 14.3 percent report lifetime misuse.  Research indicates that these students are more likely than others to engage in high risk behaviors including heavy use of alcohol and other illicit drugs, injection drug use, delinquent and at-risk sexual behavior.  They are more likely than other students to suffer from depression and suicidal ideation. (13)
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