Neonatal Follow-up Program

Video Visits Are Available During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

The Neonatal Follow-up Program is providing comprehensive, high-quality care to our patients via telehealth (video) visits when it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Video Visit Information

COVID-19 Resources for Families

Babies born early or with complex medical conditions often spend their first days in the neonatal intensive care unit. After they go home — and as they grow — these children may also have medical conditions or developmental challenges that require special attention.

The Neonatal Follow-up Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) specializes in providing comprehensive medical and developmental care that addresses the needs of premature and medically complex infants after they leave the hospital, and provides families with the resources they may need from infancy into early childhood.

This program does not replace a child’s pediatrician or well-child check-ups; it is for children who need continued monitoring, care coordination and early interventions after they “graduate” from neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) at CHOP or within CHOP’s Neonatology and Newborn Care Network. Current hospitals participating include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Hospital, Virtua Hospital, Holy Redeemer Hospital, Chester County Hospital, Lancaster General Hospital and Einstein Medical Center Montgomery.

Your child’s neonatal team will let you know if your child could benefit from this program, and will help set up your child’s first appointment before you bring your baby home from the hospital. The Neonatal Follow-up Program will then work closely with your child’s primary care physician and other specialists to care for your child as they grow.

The Neonatal Follow-up Program includes a team of specialists with expertise in identifying and helping families manage the challenges that children who have been in the NICU may face. Our experienced team will work with your family and your child’s other healthcare providers to create an individualized care plan that helps your child develop to their fullest potential.

Services available through this program include nutritional, medical, neuromotor, developmental, psychological, and psychosocial evaluations and treatment. Early, coordinated intervention to address concerns related to your child’s health and development can make sure they continue to grow and develop new skills.

Your child’s first visit to the Neonatal Follow-up Program typically occurs within two to three months of discharge from the hospital. Learn more about what to expect at your first appointment and beyond.

Why choose us?

For more than 30 years, the Neonatal Follow-up Program has been providing comprehensive, high-quality care to medically complex babies and children who have spent time in the N/IICU. Each year, nearly 1,500 children benefit from the expertise of our world-recognized neonatal specialists, our multidisciplinary team, and our commitment to family-centered care.

Neonatal care at CHOP has been consistently ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report. The number of patients we care for and the complexity of care we provide gives us experience that is unmatched in the region. With a commitment to research and educating the next generation of care providers, we are dedicated to improving outcomes and delivering the best possible clinical care to our unique patient population.

Our team of physicians, nurse practitioners, psychologists, developmental specialists, therapists, and social workers is uniquely qualified to treat babies and children with serious conditions. Our program has served as a model of care for other facilities across the country who are looking for ways to improve the transition from hospital NICU to home.

A cornerstone of our approach is support for your family. We know caring for a medically complex child at home can be challenging — physically, emotionally and financially — and we can help you access services and resources to meet your family’s needs during the first years of your child’s life.

The Neonatal Follow-up Program is available at CHOP’s main campus and at several additional CHOP Care Network locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider about whether your child could benefit from this program.


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