Follow-up Program of High Risk Neonate: Report of an Interdisciplinary Team Experience

Abstract

The advance of Neonatology in the last decades brought great changes in the assistance to the newborn, leading to an increase in the survival rates of neonates which will present a high risk for neurodevelopmental impairment. When we compare premature children with the ones born at term age, it is possible to observe clearly differences in cognitive abilities, school performance, behavior, etc. Thus, the clinical assessment of these children during the first years of life is essential, which has the aim of early detection of disabilities in the neurodevelopment and interventions, identify psychological needs in their family and parents' orientation regarding the difficulties that they will face in the care with their children. This service is called follow-up, and the World Organization of Health recommends its implantation, but unfortunately the assistance chain rendered to the babies who receive high of Neonatal Intensive Care Units is deficient in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Brazil. About seven years ago, the University Hospital/Health Care Center of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora created a follow-up program for high-risk neonates, which attends children from Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Juiz de Fora and region. Since its creation, the program registered about 350 patients. The follow-up occurs up to five years old, by an interdisciplinary team, composed by physicians (Pediatricians), nurses, physical therapists, audiologist and speech therapist, nutritionist, social worker, psychologists and other professionals. The aim of this article is to relate the experience of this interdisciplinary team in the assistance of these children.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />