Optimizing Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in NICU Patients with Occupational Therapy

Our 16th podcast episode focuses on the positive neonatal neurodevelopment outcomes that occur when there is close collaboration and team work with the NICU care team and therapy services.

The podcast features, Tracey Kondrasuk-Brander, a certified neonatal and early intervention occupational therapist. She explains the all-important role of the occupational therapist in the NICU and why it is so crucial for premature and critically ill infants to receive therapy while they are in the NICU as well as once they are discharged home. 

Tracey and I discuss the importance of developmentally appropriate care for infants including proper positioning of infants in the NICU, two-person care, small baby units, and a team work approach. Tracey explains how developmentally-supportive positioning for NICU infants helps to minimize their pain and place them into a calm state despite all of the NICU overstimulation they experience on a daily basis. She reviews the importance of positioning infants in a flexed, midline position and how it ultimately improves their long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. 

We discussed the importance of providing continual education to the parents regarding their infants development, proper positioning, developmental care, and range of motion activities while their infant is in the NICU. In preparation for discharge, the education for parents should shift to specific activities to focus on at home to continually support their infant’s development.

Lastly, we break down the difference between an infant’s chronological or actual age versus their corrected gestational age (CGA) or adjusted age and how to calculate it. We discuss why an accurate understanding of the infant’s CGA plays such an important role in the parental expectations of and the infant’s ability to achieve each of their developmental milestones. 

Tracey has over 20 years of experience with NICU infants and she is very passionate about her work within our special NICU population. I know you will learn some valuable information from our discussion!


Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode15/

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/

Empowering NICU Parents FB Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents