WELCOME TO NEWBORN FOLLOW UP CLINIC

Introduction

The Newborn Follow Up Clinic is a regional multi-disciplinary developmental clinic in Birmingham, Alabama through UAB physicians: Drs. Kathleen Nelson and Myriam Peralta. Children qualify for this clinic if they were classified as extremely low birth weight (under 1,000 grams or 2 lbs. 3 oz); had the procedure of ECMO, a heart/lung bypass, usually performed at The Children's Hospital of Alabama; and other groups of high-risk children. They are referred to the Newborn Follow Up Clinic from various regional NICU's, including UAB Hospital and The Children's Hospital of Alabama.

The Newborn Follow Up Clinic has been following groups of high-risk children since its inception in 1977. The program tracks the progress of these children who have an increased likelihood for developmental problems that may appear gradually over the first few years of life. Follow-up evaluations are done to identify problems in either physical growth or developmental.

In a typical clinic visit the child will potentially see a developmental pediatrician, nurse, nutritionist, physical/occupational therapist, audiologist, psychologist, and an optometrist. The evaluations done at this clinic will involve "playing" with your child. We will be specifically looking at the way he/she uses muscles to roll over, sit up, and walk. Evaluations will be done at each visit and may vary depending on the age of your child. These may include tests of intelligence, vision, hearing, nutrition. Psychology tests are standardized and have been used in evaluating children for developmental progress. All of the personnel involved have been performing these tests routinely with children.