II.         Objectives

The objectives of the Developmental Progress Clinic are both research and service-oriented.

• Longitudinal evaluation of growth and development to determine the relationship between perinatal risk factors (i.e, asphyxia, extreme prematurity, respiratory distress syndrome, etc.) and developmental, medical, and neurologic disabilities.



• Provision of on-going care after discharge for medical problems related to neonatal intensive care (i.e. retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus, hypertension, etc ). This care will be coordinated with the primary care provider, if available, and not duplicated. Consultative assistance to the primary care provider in the management of medical problems unique to this population of infants is offered.  

• Provide early identification of developmental complications, with early introduction into appropriate intervention services.  

• Protect, support, and encourage parents and their efforts when normal growth slid development are occurring in their high-risk infant.



• When a transdisciplinary approach to evaluation and therapy is necessary for a patient, to bring together the evaluations and recommendations of the various consultants and appropriately apply them to the care of the total patient.  

• To develop a formal, standardized system of neurodevelopmental follow-up.  

• To make the follow-up system accessible to patients and families through the development of a network of clinical sites capable of providing comprehensive developmental evaluation and intervention services.  

• To reduce the fragmentation of medical and developmental services.  

• To develop an information network (database) that a) ensures the timely collection, analysis, and reporting of follow-up data to appropriate agencies in an attempt to better identify the neurodevelopmental disabilities experienced by children and the intervention services needed to adequately address their disabilities, and b) to ensure accurate clinical developmental diagnoses.  

• Serve as a clinical and educational resource for regional pediatric health care providers regarding developmental issues.  

• Provide quality control of NICU care by evaluation of specific management protocols through data collection.  

• Expose and train professionals (pediatric residents, allied health care personnel) in the follow-up care of high-risk neonates.  

• Participate in specific research studies supported by the Department of Pediatrics.

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