The nurse is caring for a newborn who was born 24 hours ago to a mother who received no prenatal care. The newborn is a poor feeder but sucks avidly on his hands. Clinical manifestations also include loose stools, tachycardia, fever, projectile vomiting, sneezing, and generalized sweating. Which should the nurse suspect?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The clinical manifestations described in the scenario are classic signs of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), which occurs in newborns who were exposed to drugs, particularly narcotics, in utero. The newborn's symptoms of poor feeding, sucking on his hands, tachycardia, fever, projectile vomiting, loose stools, sneezing, and generalized sweating are consistent with NAS. These symptoms occur as the newborn experiences withdrawal from the drugs to which they were exposed during pregnancy. In this case, the lack of prenatal care suggests that the mother may have used narcotics during pregnancy, leading to NAS in the newborn. It is essential for healthcare providers to recognize these signs and provide appropriate care and support for infants experiencing NAS.