By pauline Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit for the Newborn Tiny little babies bringing in happiness upon their arrival, receive an open-hearted welcome into our otherwise, stressed and busy lives. Bringing tremendous joy to everyone in the family, they make us forget that things can go wrong at any time. Arrival of this bundle of joy is expected to be very smooth and to be filled with happiness and laughter. However, things may take a wrong turn at times, with some problems either during the delivery or just after delivery. The only consolation in such instances is that we can find better care and treatment for our babies. Modern day medical science and facilities available give us hope to find solution to all health problems these little ones undergo.
It is quite common to think, why we need special care area for babies and young children. Why can’t we have common facilities for both adults and children instead of special Neonatal and Pediatric care units?
One of the main reasons to have separate units for both adults and children are for the difference in their physical features such as size. One of the other important things is that similar health problem in children and adults may call for different ways of treatment. Most of the problems which exist among children may not be found as they grow to become adults. Thus, it is important to have special and dedicated Pediatric care and Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit in all hospitals. Along with these facilities, it is most important to have qualified Pediatricians and Neonatologists. Along with the trained staff the hospital should be capable of providing the best at all times including critical and emergencies cases.
Neonatal period is one of the most critical periods when the babies need time to get adjusted to the new environment away from the familiarity and warmth of their mother’s womb. To deal with any emergencies during this period, the hospitals are equipped with well established Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). These units are usually equipped with sophisticated equipments like ventilators, warmers, incubators, pumps, ultrasound machines, X-ray and 2D-2echo. Along with this, they provide advanced hematological, serological, biochemical and advanced microbiological testing. NICU usually provides services both in medical and surgical areas for the sick newborns. Expertise of the neonatologists and pediatricians play an important role in providing the care and treatments to bring these babies out of their misery.
NICUs have expertise to provide services in total parental nutrition, surfactant administration, functional echocardiography, neurosonography, ventilator management, phototherapy (conventional /LED / biliblanket), bubble CPAP system, post operative care, care of micropremies, retinopathy of pre-maturity screening (ROP). With dedicated Neonatal and Pediatric facility, hospitals are capable of providing services in pediatric physiotherapy, pediatric orthopedics, pediatric ENT, pediatric ophthalmology, pediatric neurology and neurosurgery, pediatric surgery and others.
Providing facilities like endotracheal intubations, surfactant administration, partial exchange transfusion, double volume exchange transfusion, umbilical vein and artery catheter insertion, lumbar puncture, thoracocentesis and intercostals drain insertion procedures during emergencies and critical cases NICU at hospital are becoming highly important functional areas.