NICU Follow-Up Developmental Program

Whenever a baby who was born prematurely or with medical issues is discharged from our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), it is very important for us to continue to follow that baby’s progress for two to three years. Even if a baby seems fine when it leaves the NICU, because of its condition at or shortly after birth, it has an increased risk for delays in its growth and development.

Fortunately, if caught early and treated promptly, many of these issues can be lessened or eliminated. We created the NICU Follow-Up Developmental Program to give support and referrals to parents to help make sure that their children are safe, thriving and able to reach their potential.

A team of expert neonatologists and other pediatric specialists follow babies who have been discharged from the NICU at the NICU Follow-Up Developmental Program. This allows for follow-up care from many of the same doctors who treated the baby in the NICU. Doctors check for developmental milestones, watch for possible complications, and provide ongoing treatment as part of our continuum of care.

These highly trained doctors are skilled at recognizing issues that may cause problems down the road. The good news is that NICU graduates who are tracked by our program often have better outcomes than babies whose progress is not followed.

NICU Follow Up Developmental Program Team

Developmental Services

Within the NICU program, our team:

Checks on your baby’s development through a series of tests
Monitors how your baby is growing and eating
Provides you with educational support and materials
Connects you to specialists and Early Intervention services if they’re needed

Appointments at the NICU Follow-Up Developmental Program take about 60 minutes each. Babies are seen at three months (*of corrected gestational age), at six months (*corrected gestational age), and again every three to six months until your child is two to three years old, based on your baby’s needs.

*Corrected Gestational Age
Corrected gestational age is the age your baby would have been if he/she had been in the womb for 40 weeks. For example, if your baby was born two months before your due date, his/her actual age may be five months old, but his/her corrected gestational age is three months old. If your baby was born full-term, you can make an appointment when your baby is actually three months old.

Our Team

The NICU Follow-Up Developmental Program is staffed by a group of skilled Stony Brook Children’s neonatologists trained to assess and monitor babies who were born ill and/or premature. All of the practice’s physicians are board-certified.

Echezona Maduekwe, MD

Neonatology

Surabhi Aggarwal, MD

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Attending Neonatologist Stony Brook Children’s Hospital

Aruna J. Parekh, MD

Neonatology

Margaret O. Pearce, MD

Neonatology

Hormuz Nicolwala, MD

Neonatology

Locations

NICU Developmental Follow-Up Program (Formerly the High-Risk Clinic)

4 Smith Haven Mall, Suite 101
(within Advanced Specialty Care at Lake Grove)
Lake Grove, NY 11755

To make an appointment, call (631) 444-KIDS (5437)

Map & Directions

Please schedule your first appointment for when your baby will be three months *corrected gestational age. If you need to reschedule your appointment, please call at least 24 hours in advance.