NICU High-Risk Clinic

Whenever a baby who was born prematurely or with medical issues is discharged from our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), it is very important for us to continue to follow that baby’s progress for two to three years. Even if a baby seems fine when it leaves the NICU, because of its condition at or shortly after birth, it has an increased risk for delays in its growth and development.

Fortunately, if caught early and treated promptly, many of these issues can be lessened or eliminated. We created the NICU High-Risk Clinic to give support and referrals to parents to help make sure that their children are safe, thriving and able to reach their potential.

A team of expert neonatologists and other pediatric specialists follow babies who have been discharged from the NICU at the High-Risk Clinic. This allows for follow-up care from many of the same doctors who treated the baby in the NICU. Doctors check for developmental milestones, watch for possible complications, and provide ongoing treatment as part of our continuum of care.

These highly trained doctors are skilled at recognizing issues that may cause problems down the road. The good news is that NICU graduates who are tracked by our clinic often have better outcomes than babies whose progress is not followed.

Services

Within the NICU clinic, our team:

• Checks on your baby’s development through a series of tests
• Monitors how your baby is growing and eating
• Provides you with educational support and materials
• Connects you to specialists and Early Intervention services if they’re needed

Appointments at the High-Risk Clinic take about 60 minutes each. Babies are seen at three months (*of corrected gestational age), at six months (*corrected gestational age), and again every three to six months until your child is two to three years old, based on your baby’s needs.

*Corrected Gestational Age 
Corrected gestational age is the age your baby would have been if he/she had been in the womb for 40 weeks. For example, if your baby was born two months before your due date, his/her actual age may be five months old, but his/her corrected gestational age is three months old. If your baby was born full-term, you can make an appointment when your baby is actually three months old.