NICU Neurology

Neonatal neurology

The Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Brigham and Women's Hospital has a unique expertise in neonatal neurology. This includes both a state-of-the-art clinical medical service and an academic program of research and teaching. Neonatal neurology refers to a service that can deliver multidisciplinary expertise aimed at optimal care and protection of the newborn brain—whether for premature infants or sick infants born at full term.

The clinical service is led by a multidisciplinary team that includes neonatologists, specialized nurses, child neurologists, neuroradiologists, neurosurgeons, and neonatal EEG experts. This service provides expert diagnosis, evaluation, management and counseling. Some of the clinical settings include:

• Therapeutic hypothermia (cooling of the body temperature) for infants that need resuscitation at birth and may have suffered stress to the brain around birth
• Specialized evaluation of brain injury in the premature infant
• Monitoring of brain waves and brain blood flow in high-risk infants to detect seizures or alterations in brain blood flow
• Monitoring and management of neonatal seizures
• Evaluation and rehabilitation of neonatal stroke
• Coordination of therapy services, such as physical, occupational and feeding services for high-risk infants at risk of brain injury

Part of Mass General Brigham for Children