Generation O Archives - Dr. John Rosa

National Opioid Crisis Expert, Dynamic Speaker and Author, Dr. John Rosa Writes About the Effect Opioids Have on Infant Brains

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert, author and dynamic speaker, looks into the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the birth of babies exposed to opioids along with the short and long-term effects on their brains.

ROCKVILLE, MD. July 25, 2019: Dr. John Rosa, dynamic speaker, national opioid crisis expert, and co-author of The Recipe for Success with Jack Canfield, posted a new blog on his website entitled, “What Happens To An Infant’s Brain On Opioids.” Dr. Rosa turns his attention and that of his readers to the innocent children affected by the opioid epidemic.

As Dr. Rosa states in reference to the title his blog, “This is not a question that should have to be asked.” He adds, “However, it is one that has had to be asked and studied and answered since 1991 when opioid deaths began to rise.”

As Dr. Rosa points out, “According to specialists, babies deprived of opioids after birth tend to be fussier, have gastrointestinal issues and difficulties feeding.” He further states, “They also suggest that children who experienced NAS as infants may struggle with communication and literacy. The big concern though is that the effects of NAS may never disappear. There is concern that adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes may be long-term.”

Read the entire blog at https://drjohnrosa.com/what-happens-to-an-infants-brain-on-opioids/

About Dr. John P. Rosa

Dr. Rosa is the Owner/manager of 14 health clinics in the Baltimore/Washington DC metro areas concentrating on musculoskeletal injuries of acute, subacute and chronic nature. He oversees the Integrative Medicine practice group which includes general medicine, Chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture and behavioral medicine that sees over 60,000 patient visits per year.

Active in sports medicine with consulting/treating college, professional and Olympic athletes. Creator of 24/7 RnR (Relief and aiding Recovery) an FDA approved analgesic cream. Founder of Accessible Wellness Solutions – an onsite corporate wellness program offering consulting, lectures and clinic management.

Leader in Chiropractic

Trustee of New York Chiropractic College for over 15 years and serving final 3-year term as Chairman of the Board.

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate/Consultant
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Currently forming the Opioid Abuse Prevention Institute

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Board service to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and
behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – educating primary care, urgent care and hospital medical staff on the
Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain patients

What Happens To An Infant’s Brain On Opioids

By Dr. John Rosa

This is not a question that should have to be asked.

However, it is one that has had to be asked and studied and answered since 1991 when opioid deaths began to rise. The three following examples from the professional American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) are just a tiny sampling of what’s going on in our world as a result of being steeped in the opioid crisis for nearly 30 years.

“A speech-language pathologist is called in to help with a newborn who is struggling with feeding. It turns out the infant has neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). His feeding problem is just one of many symptoms he experiences as he withdraws from the opioids his mother used during pregnancy”.

“An audiologist receives a referral to follow up with an infant who did not pass her newborn hearing screening. She has a history of NAS as a result of the opioids and other drugs her mother is addicted to. Fortunately, the screening result was false-positive, and the child has no hearing loss.”

“A school-based SLP gets an IEP testing request for a student who is lagging behind his peers in his language and literacy skills. It turns out the student had NAS as an infant.”

When Will the Madness End?

According to specialists, those referenced above and others, babies deprived of opioids after birth tend to be fussier, have gastrointestinal issues and difficulties feeding. They also suggest that children who experienced NAS as infants may struggle with communication and literacy. The big concern though is that the effects of NAS may never disappear. There is concern that adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes may be long-term.

We are seeing and living with the mainstream results of Generation O, as I wrote about in a previous article (see The Early Demise Of Innocence For Generation “O”). According to and article on the ASHA websites, “The number of infants with NAS increased by 300 percent between 2009 and 2013, with an incidence of six cases per 1,000 births in 2013, the last time these statistics were collected.

In other words, every 25 minutes in the U.S., an infant is diagnosed with NAS. More current state-level statistics suggest the problem is worsening. In Tennessee, incidence rose from 0.7 to 13.0 cases between 1999 and 2015.”

How and when are we going to stop this madness? We are merely perpetuating more pain and suffering. Let’s not forget the innocent children as we make efforts to find meaningful ways to curb this crisis.

National Opioid Crisis Expert, Dynamic Speaker And Author, Dr. John Rosa Reveals That An Entire Generation Is Being Adversely Affected By The Opioid Crisis

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert, author and dynamic speaker, talks about the dire consequences of opioids on the innocent children, victims of overdose, addiction and untold suffering at the hands of a nation in the grip of an addiction to greed.

ROCKVILLE, MD. June 20, 2019: Dr. John Rosa, dynamic speaker, national opioid crises expert, and co-author of The Recipe for Success with Jack Canfield, posted a new article on his website entitled, “The Early Demise Of Innocence For Generation “O”,” in which Dr. Rosa reveals that an entire future generation is suffering as a result of the opioid crisis.

Dr. Rosa writes, “Generation “O” is a term I coined a few years ago while researching the under-reported effects of the Opioid Crisis on our nation’s children.” He elaborates, “The “O” stands for overdose and yes, an entire generation is being affected by this opioid crisis. The “O” can just as easily also stand for “overlooked” and “outcast.””

Dr. Rosa goes on to elaborate on the daily events that contribute to this national crisis. He writes, “90 babies are born addicted to opioids EVERY DAY. Children witness an overdose of their parent EVERY DAY. Children are forced to take care of themselves and siblings as parents can’t get out of bed EVERY DAY. Children are placed into foster care due to unfit parents or being orphaned from overdose death EVERY DAY. Grandparents are taking in grandchildren when they don’t have the health or means to care for them EVERY DAY.”

According to Dr. Rosa, “An entire generation of children is being born addicted to opioids or simply living lives of untold suffering as a result of parents addicted to opioids. And this is happening in the midst of supposedly the richest, most sophisticated nation on the planet. ” He adds, “I don’t see us as so sophisticated or wise. We have become so numb to the problems society faces and although we know such problems exist we think someone else will fix them. This is simply not true especially as it relates to the Opioid Crisis”

Read the entire article at https://drjohnrosa.com/the-early-demise-of-innocence-for-generation-o/

About Dr. John P. Rosa

Leader in Chiropractic

Trustee of New York Chiropractic College for over 15 years and serving final 3-year term as Chairman of the Board.

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate/Consultant
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Currently forming the Opioid Abuse Prevention Institute

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Board service to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and
behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – educating primary care, urgent care and hospital medical staff on the
Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain patients

The Early Demise Of Innocence For Generation “O”

By Dr. John Rosa

Generation “O” is a term I coined a few years ago while researching the under-reported effects of the Opioid Crisis on our nation’s children.

The “O” stands for overdose and yes, an entire generation is being affected by this opioid crisis. The “O” can just as easily also stand for “overlooked” and “outcast.”

Every Day Events

In our so-called sophisticated, civilized country these are events that happen every single day:

90 babies are born addicted to opioids EVERY DAY.
Children witness an overdose of their parent EVERY DAY.
Children are forced to take care of themselves and siblings as parents can’t get out of bed EVERY DAY.
Children are placed into foster care due to unfit parents or being orphaned from overdose death EVERY DAY.
Grandparents are taking in grandchildren when they don’t have the health or means to care for them EVERY DAY.

Overdosed And Overlooked

An entire generation of children is being born addicted to opioids or simply living lives of untold suffering as a result of parents addicted to opioids. And this is happening in the midst of supposedly the richest, most sophisticated nation on the planet. I don’t see us as so sophisticated or wise. We have become so numb to the problems society faces and although we know such problems exist we think someone else is fixed them. This is simply not true especially as it relates to the Opioid Crisis.

Why should the children have to endure this kind of suffering? The innocent children of this nation are the helpless victims of adults who fall victim to dependency and addiction or sometimes just act irresponsible. Greed is the motivating factor. Drug companies deliver false information, distribution companies don’t report excessive purchasing from pharmacies, pharmacies don’t report doctors who excessively prescribe, drug cartels see an opportunity to flood the market with heroin and Fentanyl and the result is 150 people a day die and thousands overdose and survive. The incident child falls victim to an opioid overdose without ever taking the drug.

We Need Adults To Take Action Now

We need action, and we need it now. We need to stop the flow of opioids. We need to combat the pervasive stigma, misunderstanding and fear about substance use and abuse. We must face the ugliness if we are ever to put an end to it.

Very specifically we need action in four areas as clearly pointed out by Carol Levine and Suzanne Brundage, co-authors of The Ripple Effect, The Impact of The Opioid Crisis on Children and Families. They write, “First, we must combat the pervasive stigma, misunderstanding, and fear about substance use. Stigma prevents parents from accessing treatment and shames children from reaching out for help when they are in a tough family situation; it also perpetuates a belief that children must be removed from home when, in many cases, this can be prevented.”

“Second, the ripple effect must become a public and political priority. For too long, society has underinvested in family-centered treatment programs that support child development. We need an infusion of resources.”

“Third, we must improve communication, coordination, and collaboration among government agencies, health-care providers, and community service organizations. It shouldn’t matter which door a parent enters to seek help; every door should lead to family-centered care.”

“Finally, we need to find compassionate and meaningful ways to identify children at risk and provide them and their families with ongoing support.”