Improving Treatment for Drug-Exposed Infants
Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 5

Early Interventions For Infants

1. Components - Because of their distinctive needs, drug-exposed infants should receive more than the standard medical followup. Such followup should preferably be carried out under the supervision of a specially trained pediatrician. Followup interventions include but are not limited to:
   • Nutrition (especially if inadequate sucking reflex is evident)
   • Psychomotor assessment and monitoring of development
   • Vision and hearing screening
   • Speech and language assessments and therapy
   • emotional development assessments and therapy
   • Play therapy
   • Early educational needs assessments
   • Physical therapy
   • Immunization (see Exhibits 6 and 7).
2. Referrals - All health care and other service providers, including physicians, should stay abreast of available community services for drug-exposed infants and their families. Administrators should develop clear procedures to ensure that referrals are made to the appropriate resources. (For example, procedures might clarify whose responsibility it is to make referrals, such as case managers or social workers.)

Examples of routine health care referrals for drug-exposed infants and their families should include referrals to Federal programs such as:

• Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Testing Program
• Maternal and child health services
• Community health centers
• Healthy Start Program.