Healthy Living
SICK NEWBORN HEALTH
Sick Newborn Health
As the parent of a sick newborn, you will have many questions and concerns. Your baby's healthcare team wants to support you during this time. Know that you are an integral part of the team caring for your baby.

The staff of the Meriter Hospital Newborn Intensive Care Unit has developed the following resource because we believe that informed parents can better care for their newborns. If you have any questions while reading this information, please talk with a member of your baby's care team. They are there to support you.

Service Highlight

Meriter's Newborn Intensive Care Unit
Learn about the services and staff of the Meriter NICU.

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Carepages
A Guide to Parenting Your Sick Newborn
Introduction to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Learn about the people, equipment and abbreviations you will encounter.
Chances for Survival and Disability
Review the statistics about these important topics.
Common Problems and Diseases
This section covers 18 problems and diseases most frequently encountered.
Common Abnormalities in Development
Information about the six most-common developmental issues.
Commonly Used Medications
Find out what your baby’s medications are being used to treat.
Emotional Support
Discover ways to cope during this difficult time.
Things to Do Before Discharge
A listing of the important things to focus on during this time.
Things to Know After Discharge
This section covers illness, sleeping, bathing, feeding and more.
Other Topics
Learn ways to support your baby’s siblings, and how family and friends can support you.
Resources for Parents
A listing of useful Web sites, organizations and publications.
About the Authors and Review Board
A summary of this Web resource’s authors and review board.
For information on babies born more than six weeks premature, please visit Preemie Health.

This Web section is made possible through grants from The Meriter Foundation, The Perinatal Foundation (of Wisconsin), and Friends of Meriter.

This is an information site only. It does not answer specific medical or health care questions about your child or infant. You should consult your primary health care provider or physician for advice regarding your child's care or condition or with any of your specific questions about such care or condition.