The Amazing Babies Program was put in place to bridge the gap between NICU discharge and outpatient care for the most critically-ill babies. Through this program, babies who are “fragile feeders” or have developmental concerns, return to have a follow-up visit with the NICU rehabilitation team within a few weeks of leaving Miller Children’s & Women's.
During this visit, babies are assessed, recommendations are made and education is provided for the families. The Amazing Babies team is made up entirely of NICU occupational therapists (OT) and physical therapists (PT) to ensure continuity of care between hospital discharge and outpatient therapy.
Without such a program in place children often have to wait four to six months for a follow-up appointment. This is the time that it takes for most insurance companies to approve coverage. Then parents might be contacted by a regional center or admitted to outpatient therapy. The opportunity to work with the babies and families shortly after discharge helps to optimize the developmental outcomes for NICU graduates.