ADDICTION AS A PAEDIATRIC PROBLEM

Key words: Drug addiction, Primary paediatric care

The paper draws the attention of paediatricians on their role in the management of babies born from addicted mothers and of young adolescents who may develop drug addiction. Today, drug addicted adolescents seek help at a later stage with comparison to the past. Severe social and family problems are usually present. Paediatricians should be aware of the many determinants as well as of different clinical features and psychopatological pathways of drug addiction in young adults, in order to play a useful role in prevention and cure.