Newborns, whether premature or full-term, are vulnerable to a variety of medical problems. Some babies require a coordinated team of infant care specialists, including doctors who specialize in these conditions. The East Bay Neonatology Services medical group has been providing services at Children's and in the East Bay community for more than 25 years. Our well-trained and experienced staff of physicians specialize in the treatment of illnesses in newborns. We work very closely with the other specialists at Children's, including surgeons, geneticists, neurologists, cardiologists, and others.
Respiratory problems are common in sick newborns.
Causes of respiratory failure in premature and term infants include respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, birth depression, and pulmonary hypertension. We are equipped to give respiratory support to the smallest and most fragile of tiny premature infants, using conventional and investigational modes of ventilation. Many of our babies suffer from birth defects of the heart, kidney, liver, or gastrointestinal system. Some have a diaphragmatic hernia. Other infants may have a primary metabolic defect, or a primary neurological problem such as seizures.