This week is neonatal therapy week. Allied Health Professionals are central to the implementation and embedding of developmentally sensitive care into neonatal practice in many neonatal units. AHPs champion neonatal care that looks forward to improving longer term outcomes for babies and their families (BAPM).
Therapists on the neonatal unit support staff and parents to;
handle and position babies for optimum sleep and development,
- understand and respond to baby’s behavioural cues to support pre-feeding activities and the initiation of oral feeding,
- assess swallow safety,
- ensure babies are growing and developing appropriately,
- monitor baby’s neurodevelopment
- give psychological support to parents during their baby’s admission.
