LOGAN – Babies born to mothers who used opioids while pregnant experience opioid withdrawal and may have feeding problems or trouble sleeping or even breathing problems.

Utah State University’s Center for Persons With Disabilities is offering a national training initiative to help early childhood educators and others support the children and families affected by these conditions.

Janel Preston is a special educator at the CPD who works with this program.

“Early intervention,” Preston explained, “definitely can help provide some of those supports and services to it which is why we’re working within this project, SCOPE, that we are helping early childcare professionals understand some of the concerns around NAS or NOWS and be able to identify and continue to support those families.”

Preston said NAS stands for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and NOWS is Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome.

Eight free sessions, on the third Monday of each month, began Oct. 21 and the next training is Nov. 16. It is available on Telehealth and those interested can contact [email protected].