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Neonatology Associated Programs Conditions & Treatments Meet Our Team Locations Resources for Families Research Contact Information Request an Apppointment     Email This Page Print This Page           Neonatology The Division of Neonatology at Children's National Medical Center offers consultation, assessment, emergency, and continuing care of premature and critically-ill infants. The Division of Neonatology manages Children's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), a quaternary level unit (now termed the highest level, Level IIIC, by American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines). Children’s NICU is one the region’s major neonatal referral centers for the sick newborn and/or infant. The neonatal attending staff consists of six board-certified neonatal/perinatal specialists. The NICU serves as a resource to more than 40 in-region and out-of-region hospitals. One of the major strengths of Children’s NICU is our family-centered approach to care. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to partner with providers in decision-making and provide care alongside the physician, nurses and therapists. Social workers, chaplains, and child life specialists are available to assist with family needs as well. The NICU Parent Advisory Council is a group of former NICU parents who have input in the program, policy, and design of the NICU. Their expertise help shape Children’s NICU care. Children’s was chosen in 2005 as the region’s first hospital to have the March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program. The project provides information and emotional support to families throughout the hospitalization, during the transition to home, and in the event of a newborn death. Children’s has a specialized Neonatal Transport team with ambulance, and Children’s helicopter SkyBear service to transport newborn requiring the highest level of care. One of the strengths of the Division of Neonatology is the collaboration between the divisions of Neurology, Radiology  and Neonatology in the brain protection program. Children’s has one of the largest whole-body cooling programs in the region for infants with hypoxic brain injury. Two full-time neonatal neurologists round with the neonatal team to treat patients with neurologic concerns. Children’s is the only hospital in the mid-Atlantic region with a MRI-compatible incubator to safely transport and image the brains of our premature infants and sickest newborns, under the direction of a pediatric neuroradiologist.