oldest babies in the NICU?

Specialties NICU

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I was curious how long different NICUs kept chronic babies who did not meet requirements for lower level care facilities. Do you transfer these babies to a special pediatric floor in your hospital or do they continue to stay in the NICU until they meet lower level care discharge requirements. I am asking this because our NICU unit has and has had babies in our care for over 12 months, the oldest I think was almost 2 years before discharge. Just wanted to ask your thoughts, esp since by that age they should be treated like pedi and not neonatal.

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

We had 2 babies at the same time, one stayed with us for 24 months until he was finally able to go home, the other died in our unit at the age of 15 months.

While the NICU was not the place they needed to be developmentally, the PICU at our hospital wasn't an option either. They were in the process of beginning a transplant program and didn't want to fill their beds with chronic NICU kids. Our administration allowed us to convert a small room in the unit into a 2-bed room for these boys so they could have space for mats, tubs, high chairs, a TV, etc. PT and OT were active in their care. We did our best with the space and resources we had available, but it was definitely far short of a home-like setting.

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Specializes in NICU.

We had a little guy that stayed with us for ~5 months, chronic gi issues :-(

Generally after that they go to Peds or PICU. As some others have posted , we occasionally take fresh discharge NICU grads, they go to isolation though.

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The longest we have kept a baby was ~5 months. We just transferred a 3 month old baby to peds who was a gastroschesis who can't eat. We try to get them off our unit when developmental growth becomes an issue. We have Peds and PICU to take advantage of. We can also transfer them to a LTC facility if they are ready to be discharged but not to home.

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Specializes in NICU.

I work at a pediatric facility. We have a NICU stepdown for kids with chronic and complex health problems. They will keep kids until about 12 months, but that isn't too common. They have toys, swings, high chairs, strollers, etc. OT is actively involved, and child life is available. There is also a PICU stepdown, so eventually they would go there if necessary.

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We recently had a 18 month toddler (born after 24 weeks, still ventilator dependant) but I do think we hold the record for the oldest "child" because we had a boy here for 20 years. He was home during the day,went to regular school but since he had a syndrome that made him ventilatordependant when he slept he came to the unit to sleep.

I meant to hit "quote" when I thanked you. Oh, well.

Why did he leave after 20 years? Were other provisions made for his ventilation, or did he die?

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Specializes in NICU.

We will keep them for 12 months as long as tell have never been dicharged home. If they were transfered to another hospital and want to come back, they can. We are a birth hospital, not a children's hospital, so no PEDS or PICU.

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Specializes in NICU.

We've had some babies stay for close to a year. It's not unusual for a 24/25 weeker to stay for 6 months or so, especially if they are still on any kind of oxygen support....whether they're going home or to LTC. We have PT/OT services, and some pediatric equipment for the babies to use.

If they are discharged from our NICU to any other location, they only come back to our unit if it's been less than 24 hours. Otherwise, they go to PICU.

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Specializes in NICU, adult med-tele.

We have a PICU so the bigger kids just go there. Usually if they are getting so big that they need a schedule, with playtime and tummy time and all that, and especially if the family wants to stay with the kid because right now, our NI has nowhere to room in. And also because we have a PI I suppose, we hardly ever take back grads, not unless the neos are really sure they are'nt infectious.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

"..he had a syndrome that made him ventilatordependant when he slept he came to the unit to sleep. "

Ondine's curse?? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondine's_curse

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Specializes in NICU.
"..he had a syndrome that made him ventilatordependant when he slept he came to the unit to sleep. "

Ondine's curse?? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondine's_curse

So far I've only seen one kiddo in our unit with that ...... cutest little baby too! Trached him and sent him home on a home vent.

I always wondered how those kids are managed at home though ..... what if they fall asleep on the couch or something? ....... so scary.

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Specializes in NICU, adult med-tele.

Thank you for the link, that is facinating. Yeah what about car rides? Kids always fall asleep in the car. Cuh-razy!

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