Authors

  1. Porter, Sallie DNP, PhD, APN
  2. Qureshi, Rubab MD, PhD
  3. Benenson, Irina DNP, FNP-C CEN

Abstract

The incidence of infants with congenital syphilis (CS) has been accelerating in the United States and remains an issue of global concern. Infants with CS often experience poor birth, health, and developmental outcomes. These poor outcomes (e.g., prematurity, bone changes, neurodevelopmental impairment) may be exacerbated by social vulnerabilities (e.g., housing instability, incarceration) experienced by their mothers and families. As such, infants with CS may benefit from neurodevelopmental assessments offered early in life, comprehensive in scope, and repeated over time; developmental intervention, as well as family support services that acknowledge the co-occurring health, developmental, and social challenges they may face.