The Newborn Medicine Follow-up Clinic at St. Louis Children’s Hospital
At St. Louis Children’s Hospital, our care for your baby does not end when you leave the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Infants who require NICU care after birth are at high risk for ongoing medical problems and developmental delays after hospital discharge. Our multidisciplinary clinic, which includes neonatologists, nurse coordinators, dietitians, physical and speech therapists and a psychometrist, focuses on the care of babies discharged from St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s NICU and other hospitals by referral. These infants were often born prematurely, have oxygen needs after discharge, or have weight or nutritional issues that might require feeds through a feeding tube.
In addition to our traditional NICU follow-up clinic, we offer two clinics geared toward infants who need specialized care. Our Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) clinic focuses on patients exposed to opioids before birth, who require close monitoring of their growth by neonatologists, dietitians and therapists.
Our Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia/Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation clinic focuses on infants who are born with this condition or require ECMO during their NICU stay. These infants are evaluated by a team of neonatologists, pediatric surgeons, pulmonologists, neurologists, cardiologists, dietitians and therapists during their clinic visit.
What to expect during your first visit to the Newborn Medicine Follow-up Clinic
Your baby’s first visit to the clinic is typically scheduled after NICU discharge and occurs within the first few weeks of arriving home. We continue to follow high-risk infants from the time they’re discharged from the NICU until age 2 or 3, depending on your child’s specific needs, including the need for developmental testing.
During your child’s appointment at the Newborn Medicine Follow-up Clinic, your child’s medical and developmental health will be assessed. Appointments last from one to three hours, depending on the required tests and therapies. The frequency of your visits will be determined by your medical team and discussed with you.
At every visit, you can expect:
- height, weight, and head circumference measurement
- blood pressure screening
- nutrition counseling
- medication review
- assessment for physical, occupational and speech therapy services
- developmental screening
Developmental testing the Newborn Medicine Follow-up Clinic provides
Developmental tests assess your child’s behaviors and progress toward age-appropriate milestones. At least one test will be conducted during each visit to the Newborn Medicine Follow-up Clinic. They may include:
- Denver II Screening: Conducted by a physician at each visit, this test evaluates your child’s ability to meet specific developmental milestones based on their corrected age.
- Bayley Scales of Infant Development IV: Administered by a child psychometrist at 12 to 24 months corrected age. This test takes about two hours to complete.
- Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI): Performed at age 3 by a child psychologist, this test also takes about two hours.
Please bring a snack and drink for your child’s comfort during developmental testing.
Where to find The Newborn Medicine Follow-up Clinic
The Newborn Medicine Follow-up Clinic is in Suite D on the second floor of St. Louis Children’s Hospital (One Children's Place, St. Louis, MO 63110). Free parking is available in the St. Louis Children’s Hospital parking garage. Bring your parking ticket to the Newborn Medicine Follow-up Clinic for validation. You can contact us by calling 314-454-2683.
