Diagnosed with severe heart and liver problems before birth, he had to be delivered early so doctors could begin treatment. Three-pound Juanito spent three months in the Brackenridge Neonatal Unit, during which time he had heart surgery. Mother Maria proudly reports that he now weighs eight pounds and is growing fast as he receives follow up treatment. Determined Juanito shows every sign of developing into a healthy, hearty little boy.
Preemies often are at high risk of developmental problems.
Eager to know the prospects of the tiny babies they help to survive, neonatologists at Brackenridge were instrumental in the creation of the Developmental Assessment Program in the Specialty Care Center of Children's Hospital. While some problems are fairly simple to detect, specialists in the developmental program identify and monitor subtle signs in the nutrition, hearing, vision and other conditions of premature babies.