This morning I got an insight into the follow-up programme of the former NICU babies. Together with a neonatologist and a paediatric physiotherapist, I carried out various tests with the children, depending on their age. Our little patients were 1 or 2 or 5.5 years old (the examinations take place at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 5.5 years and 8 years corrected age). All follow-up examinations included an anamnesis interview with the parents (how is the child doing in the usual environment, does he/she eat/drink/sleep well etc), a short physical examination, as well as an assessment of motor skills and coordination using various exercises and scoring systems. Among other things, the 2-year-olds had to kick a football, climb stairs without help and build a tower out of building blocks. Afterwards, they were referred to the child psychologists for cognitive and mental assessment. After a lunch break, I went back to student teaching where selected heart defects from yesterday's practical were presented.
The "insider knowledge" shared with us by a paediatric heart surgeon was very cool. Back on the ward, there was a seamless transition to a lecture by a paediatric ophthalmologist on the topic of ROP. Among the topics discussed were new study results on the use of VEGF inhibitors, lasers and the best possible oxygen saturation to prevent ROP or to treat it in the best possible way. Unfortunately, I didn't understand everything because it was held in Dutch.
Now I'm going to have dinner with some students in the LUMC cafeteria 😊
Toys for the babies of the follow-up to check their attention, coordination and movements (and of course for their entertainment).
A scheme to classify the motor performance of 6 and 12 month old babies in the follow-up.
The presentations of the heart defects in the minor class.