Neonatology is a subspecialty of Pediatrics which in turn is a specialty under General Medicine. Neonatologists, therefore, are licensed Doctors of Medicine who have specialized in the practice of children's diseases called Pediatrics and who in turn, have undergone further studies and specialization into a sub specialization called Neonatology - the study and science of providing healthcare to new-born babies, more so if they are ill or born with neonatal defects.
Pediatricians/Neonatologists work closely as far as the new-born child is concerned especially the critical first few hours, days, weeks, and even months after childbirth. Mothers who have recently given birth need to closely coordinate with their neonatologist especially insofar as providing the baby not only the love he or she deserves, but provide the critical care should the baby be born say, prematurely or that the vital signs like breathing rate, temperature and blood pressure indicate that the baby needs to be put in an incubator until such time the baby is strong and healthy enough to be declared out of danger.
For example, mother's breast milk need to be taken and fed to the baby through intubation feeding tubes, if the neonatologist sees it fit. Remember, mother's milk is good not only because it is the most nutritious food there is especially for infants, but contains also antibodies, part of our body's immune system that the mother passes on to and provides her baby - the protection against specific illnesses that the infant may be exposed to, more so in a hospital setting where disease-causing germs, bacteria and viruses are prevalent and are the more virulent types.
West Virginia neonatologists are now available in the state's leading hospitals to address the health concerns of these infants, and to lessen the anxiety of parents, especially mothers. The reassuring words of these doctor-specialists go a long way especially during the stressful stage the parents go through especially when the baby stays for a relatively long period of time at the Intensive Care Units, and not to mention the piling up of hospital bills in case the parents have insufficient, or worse no hospitalization insurance coverage. Usually, the neonates (the new-born baby in medical parlance) are usually and temporarily put in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) specifically for neonates. The attending physician, in this case the neonatologist is in close coordination with the Neonatal ICU Staff Nurse, who normally has gone through special training for caring for the special needs of these kinds of neonate-patients.
Updates are provided the neonatologist by the nurse concerned, and regularly passed on to the parents, especially the mothers to play down their understandable anxiety.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 