Saturday, February 2, 2008

Questions to ask

I found a great article that contained a list of suggested questions to ask when your baby is first in the NICU. Based on your baby's condition they may not all be relevant however I think it's a great place to start.

1. What are my baby’s chances for survival, of facing various degrees of handicap, and of having long-term health problems?
2. What medical problems are affecting my baby now?
3. How can I get more information about my baby’s problems?
4. How are those problems being treated?
5. What side effects could those treatments have?
6. Are there reasonable alternative treatments we could consider?
7. How can I get more involved in my baby’s care?
8. What can I do to best nurture my baby?
9. How do I find emotional or spiritual support?
10. Can the NICU’s social worker help me with transportation, local housing, financial aid, or other practical problems while my baby is in the newborn ICU?

The complete article can be found here. It also has a great glossary of common terms, conditions and medicines used in the NICU.

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