Neonatal Intensive Care
State-of-the-art
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital is a Level III unit. That designation means that the neonatal unit offers the highest level of care, whether for neonatal surgery, diagnosis or rehabilitation in our Follow-Up Program. The 17-bed unit is fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology, specially developed to care for newborns with complex medical problems. Specialty care is available for babies born prematurely and who have birth defects, inherited metabolic disorders, congenital malformations or heart disease, infections, neurologic problems, gastrointestinal and hematologic disorders. The neonatal unit admits infants from any community hospital, as well as Cleveland Clinic.
Staffed by specialists
Board-certified neonatologists and nursing specialists work as a team with pediatric developmental and other specialists, lactation experts, psychologists, pediatric physical and occupational therapists, and speech pathologists. This team approach ensures that each patient and family receives comprehensive care.
Developmental care
Infants respond differently to the type of care and stimulation they receive in a NICU setting. At The Children's Hospital, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit team uses stress assessments as a basis for modifying a baby's environment and treatment strategies. No "routine" procedures are performed on the neonatal unit; room lighting, sound and the frequency and timing of medical/nursing care are all adapted to suit each infant's needs. Studies have shown that neonatal developmental care has many positive effects on babies, from reducing the amount of time an infant needs assisted ventilation to accelerating weight gain.
Family-centered
Family-friendly amenities help make this new facility comfortable and pleasant. Parents have 24-hour visitation and are encouraged to attend medical rounds and other meetings concerning their baby's progress. Siblings aged 3 and older may visit any time following a health screening by a registered nurse. Using a transition room, parents have the opportunity to "room in" with their baby prior to discharge. This allows parents to get comfortable caring for their new baby.
Rehabilitation: Addressing Long-term Needs
"Graduates" of neonatal intensive care may experience a range of medical and developmental disorders resulting from premature birth or complications from their illness, such as neonatal cardiomyopathy. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit's Follow-Up Program can address the long-term needs of these children and their families.
In addition, Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation (formerly Health Hill Hospital) provides intensive therapy and complex medical monitoring for children born prematurely through its neonatal inpatient program. The only freestanding pediatric rehabilitation hospital in Ohio-and one of only a few of its kind in the nation- the Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation offers a number of specialty programs, including the Center for Autism, treatment for feeding disorders, an innovative motor control program, pediatric kidney dialysis (opening 2003), and specialized foster care. Pediatric outpatient therapy also is available at four convenient locations.
Information
If you have questions, or if you would like to arrange for a tour of the NICU, please call Birthing Services at 216.445.7990 or 800.223.2273, ext. 57990.
