The Iowa High-risk Infant Follow-up Program provides children who have been in neonatal intensive care with periodic developmental assessments. We would like to offer this service to your family during your child's early years. We feel that both you and your child can benefit from the program. You will have access to a practitioner with training in child development who can assist you with your concerns. A delay or deviation in development may be detected early, thoroughly evaluated, and therapy can be started if it is appropriate.

Evaluations will take place when your child is 4 months, 9 months, 18 months, and two and a half years. If for some reason you wish to withdraw from the program, you are free to do so at any time. The evaluation will include a developmental screening test, a routine physical examination, and a detailed neurological exam as part of each visit. The developmental screening test is a test to see how your child is progressing in gross motor skills, such as rolling, sitting, or walking; fine motor activities such as hand-eye coordination skills; language activities such as cooing, babbling, and words; social interactions, such as smiling and reacting to strangers; and learning self-help skills.

The developmental evaluation and the physical and neurological examinations will be performed by a pediatric nurse practitioner who has special training in assessing the growth and development of children. The pediatric nurse practitioner is also available to help you with your concerns and/or problems you may have in caring for your baby.

The Neonatology Clinic also provides medical care management for infants who are discharged on supplemental oxygen and certain other medical problems. This clinic is staffed by nurse practitioners, fellows and staff physicians. The additional interdisciplinary specialties—including nutrition, physical therapy, speech therapy, and social services—are available as needed at these appointments. The nurse practitioners serve as care coordinators for the babies followed in this clinic; coordinating other UI Children's Hospital services with community resources needed.

Part of the program includes collecting information over the years about your child's special history, including information about your pregnancy, labor and delivery. This information is collected not only to understand your child's development, but also to learn more about the development of children who have been in intensive care.

Your local physician will continue to provide your baby's general health care. We will notify your doctor when your child is enrolled in the program. Reports from each visit will be sent to your doctor.

You will receive information about the program within two to four weeks of discharge if enrollment was not completed before discharge.

Scheduling of visits - You will be contacted two to four weeks before the appropriate time for appointments to be scheduled. Appointments will be scheduled at your convenience and coordinated with other appointments your child has at UI Children's Hospital. Changes in appointment times can be made by phone.

If you have questions about the Iowa High-risk Infant Follow-up Program, call the office at 319-353-6880.