--- title: "Psych News Alert: Pediatric Experts Offer Updated Neonatal Drug Withdrawal Guidance" description: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a detailed, 23-page guide to neonatal drug withdrawal online January 30 in the journal Pe... image: https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/neonate_72431794-Jun-24-2025-05-40-31-4902-PM.jpg --- 2/2/12 12:00 AM # Pediatric Experts Offer Updated Neonatal Drug Withdrawal Guidance ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [ Psychiatric News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) Share: [facebook-f icon ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/02/pediatric-experts-offer-updated.html) [linkedin-in icon ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/02/pediatric-experts-offer-updated.html) [Twitter icon ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/02/pediatric-experts-offer-updated.html) [pinterest-p icon ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/02/pediatric-experts-offer-updated.html) [envelope icon ](mailto:?body=https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/02/pediatric-experts-offer-updated.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/neonate_72431794-Jun-24-2025-05-40-32-2769-PM.jpg?width=200&height=133&name=neonate_72431794-Jun-24-2025-05-40-32-2769-PM.jpg)](https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/neonate_72431794-Jun-24-2025-05-40-33-4066-PM.jpg) The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a detailed, 23-page [guide](http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2012/01/25/peds.2011-3212.abstract) to neonatal drug withdrawal online January 30 in the journal *Pediatrics*. The guide is an update of previous information published in 1979 and 1998. Jointly prepared by the AAP's Committee on Drugs and Committee on Fetus and Newborn, the guide provides detailed descriptions of symptoms consistent with withdrawal from the different classes of medications and illicit drugs, a scoring system for evaluating neonates, and step-by-step weaning protocols. While the information is extensive, the authors note the existence of "significant gaps" in knowledge concerning the optimal treatment strategy for infants with neonatal drug withdrawal and call for further studies to address short-term outcomes and to provide for long-term follow-up. The Food and Drug Administration recently warned physicians that neonates may suffer withdrawal symptoms when their mothers are treated with antipsychotic medications during the third trimester. [Read more about it](http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/newsarticle.aspx?articleid=108442) in *Psychiatric News*. (Image: Marian Wilson/Shutterstock.com) [American Academy of Pediatrics](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/american-academy-of-pediatrics) ## Related posts [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/old_woman_istock-647711746-Jun-24-2025-05-05-51-6510-PM.jpg?height=200&name=old_woman_istock-647711746-Jun-24-2025-05-05-51-6510-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2021/12/apa-poll-reveals-covid-19-and-other.html) [anxiety](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/anxiety), [pandemic](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/pandemic), [COVID-19](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/covid-19), [APA poll](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/apa-poll), [holidays](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/holidays) ## [APA Poll Reveals COVID-19 and Other Worries During Holiday Festivities](https://alert.psychnews.org/2021/12/apa-poll-reveals-covid-19-and-other.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 12/2/21 12:00 AM [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2021/12/apa-poll-reveals-covid-19-and-other.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/morphineF_49172446-Jun-24-2025-10-27-04-2983-PM.jpg?height=200&name=morphineF_49172446-Jun-24-2025-10-27-04-2983-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2011/06/medication-may-help-ptsd-patients.html) [PTSD](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/ptsd), [morphine](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/morphine), [metyrapone](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/metyrapone) ## [Medication May Help PTSD Patients Recall Fewer Negative Memories](https://alert.psychnews.org/2011/06/medication-may-help-ptsd-patients.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 6/3/11 12:00 AM Petr Malyshev/Shutterstock A study posted online May 18 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology... [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2011/06/medication-may-help-ptsd-patients.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/cigarette_alcohol_iStock-492367455-Jun-24-2025-10-33-40-8535-PM.jpg?height=200&name=cigarette_alcohol_iStock-492367455-Jun-24-2025-10-33-40-8535-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2020/02/pain-linked-to-increased-risk-of.html) [smokers](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/smokers), [cigarettes](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/cigarettes), [pain](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/pain), [Lisa LaRowe](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/lisa-larowe), [pain severity](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/pain-severity), [substance use disorders](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/substance-use-disorders), [hazardous drinking](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/hazardous-drinking), [alcohol](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/alcohol), [the American Journal on Addictions](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/the-american-journal-on-addictions), [AUDIT](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/audit) ## [Pain Linked to Increased Risk of Hazardous Drinking in Smokers](https://alert.psychnews.org/2020/02/pain-linked-to-increased-risk-of.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 2/6/20 12:00 AM Experiencing frequent or intense pain is linked to hazardous drinking in people who smoke tobacco,... [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2020/02/pain-linked-to-increased-risk-of.html) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Psychiatric News Alert", "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert" }, "dateModified" : "2025-06-24T17:43:27.259Z", "datePublished" : "2012-02-02T05:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Psych News Alert: Pediatric Experts Offer Updated Neonatal Drug Withdrawal Guidance", "image" : [ "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/neonate_72431794-Jun-24-2025-05-40-31-4902-PM.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/02/pediatric-experts-offer-updated.html", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/PN-Blue-Box.jpg" } } } ```