For babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), contact with parents can be calming and promote good health. However, a parent’s touch can also increase their risk of contracting a potentially dangerous neonatal infection, such as Staphylococcus aureus. Researchers from John Hopkins Medicine (headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland) recently conducted a preliminary clinical trial on…
When a baby requires care after birth, they will be transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or the NICU. Babies may require a NICU stay if they were born prematurely, had problems during delivery, or experienced complications after birth. The cost of a NICU stay depends on a number of factors including duration, treatments,…
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is essential to the survival of many premature and sick infants. However, babies in the NICU may also be exposed to certain types of harm, including neurotoxic chemicals (such as phalates and phenols), restricted social interaction (which can hinder bonding and language development), and abnormal light and sound stimuli…
It is well known that returning soldiers often develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition marked by flashbacks to a trauma, hyperalertness, avoidance of situations that trigger upsetting memories, and negative emotions such as guilt or shame. However, fewer people know that parents commonly experience similar symptoms after their babies stay in the neonatal intensive…
Embrace Neonatal MRI System The FDA recently approved a magnetic resonance imaging device (MRI) designed specifically for brain/head imaging of infants in the NICU. It is called the “Embrace Neonatal MRI System,” and can be used on babies who weigh between 1 and 4.5 kg, have a head circumference of 38 cm or less, and…
According to the Journal of Patient Safety, preventable medical errors cause at least 210,000 deaths per year. Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in America, behind heart disease and cancer. Unfortunately, mistakes made in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) represent a significant part of those numbers. The Archives of Disease in…
This past Tuesday, September 15, was the 16th annual National Neonatal Nurses Day. The National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) established this day in 2000 to give members of the neonatal community the opportunity to offer neonatal nurses their gratitude and support. Many neonatal nurses are extremely dedicated to their jobs and work tirelessly to care…
Every new parent experiences a flood of new emotions on delivery day. While these feelings often include a blend of excitement, nerves, and joy, delivery day is almost always a day of celebration. However, learning your baby is headed to the NICU upon delivery is incredibly tough for new parents. At Reiter & Walsh ABC…
A little boy with cerebral palsy is defying his doctors and overcoming the challenges of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and cerebral palsy (CP) with alternative treatments and therapies.
A baby experienced a severe lack of oxygen to her brain, a brain bleed and severe brain damage because she was born at home and did not receive a simple test that would have led to the diagnosis of a congenital heart condition that usually has good outcomes when diagnosed early.
