What should be monitored in infants when SNRIs are prescribed to mothers?

When serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are prescribed to mothers, monitoring irritability in infants is critically important. SNRIs can potentially affect the infant's neurological development and behavior due to the transfer of the medication through breast milk. Infants may exhibit increased irritability as a response to these medications, indicating potential side effects that could emerge during the first few months of life, as their nervous systems are still developing and adjusting.

Irritability in infants can be a signal for various underlying concerns, including adjustment to medication exposure through breastfeeding. It is crucial to observe for any significant changes in mood, temperament, and overall alertness in infants receiving exposure to SNRIs.

While monitoring weight gain, sleep patterns, and breathing stability are also important in a general sense for infants, they do not specifically relate to the direct effects of SNRIs in the same way irritability does. These other factors can also be influenced by numerous external and developmental factors unrelated to medication use. Thus, focusing on irritability provides a more specific and relevant parameter for evaluating the impact of SNRIs on infants.