One of the biggest problems for NICU parents is starting to processes the experience and cope with their NICU experience after they have left the NICU. Dr. Holditch-Davis, professor at Duke University School of Nursing noted in a recent NY Times article, It may be several months later when they’re ready to process what they experienced, but at that point, family and friends don’t want to talk about it anymore.
Once parents are home from the NICU and the daily activities become more routine, this is the time when many parents finally start processing their NICU experience. Researchers are starting to recognize parents with depression, anxiety and PTSD after the NICU, as noted in the blog post, NICU Admission Puts Parents at Risk for PTSD.
Helping NICU Parents After the NICU
There are several ways to help NICU parents after the NICU to reduce their risks of developing problems after a NICU admission.
- Education: Parents
- Education: Physicians and Health Care Providers
- Identifying Symptoms
- Support for Parents after the NICU
Part of my hope for the NICU Parent Support Site is that by writing about different topics and different issues facing NICU parents, they will understand more about the normal response NICU parents can face when dealing with the many losses that result from a NICU admission.
Education: Physicians and Health Care Providers As noted in the blog post on After the NICU: Aftercare for NICU Parents, "There are many different physicians and other health care providers who might see NICU babies and NICU Parents in follow up."
The key here is educating all of the different health care providers who see NICU parents in follow up to be able to identify those parents who may be at risk by checking to see that the parents are doing well after they are home from the NICU.
Identifying Symptoms
Researcher and former NICU Parent Dr. Michael Hynan designed a helpful screening tool for determining NICU parents at risk. The Perinatal Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Questionnaire (PPQ) can be easily administered. This tool can help determine if the NICU Parents might need some additional support once the family is discharged from the hospital.
If I was able to do so, I would see that all NICU parents take a PPQ (or similar) screening questionnaire to make sure they are doing well once home from the NICU.
Support for Parents after the NICU - Hospitals
Support for NICU parents can vary greatly depending on the hospital and depending on the nature of their newborn's health. Some hospitals offer good programs after the NICU with support groups, education and follow up. Others (like our hospitals) may be focusing on just getting parents through the initial ordeal.
Often the follow up ball is dropped by the hospitals, because parents are no longer in the NICU and their regular health care providers don't know, or don't think to make sure they are still doing o.k. several weeks or months after the NICU.
Support for NICU parents can vary greatly depending on the hospital and depending on the nature of their newborn's health. Some hospitals offer good programs after the NICU with support groups, education and follow up. Others (like our hospitals) may be focusing on just getting parents through the initial ordeal.
Often the follow up ball is dropped by the hospitals, because parents are no longer in the NICU and their regular health care providers don't know, or don't think to make sure they are still doing o.k. several weeks or months after the NICU.
Support for Parents after the NICU - March of DimesSome hospitals have a NICU Family Support Specialist from the March of Dimes to help offer NICU parents support and help in navigating the confusing NICU. Their NICU Family Support website offers information, resources and online communities 24/7 online.
Support for Parents after the NICU - OnlineIn addition to the March of Dimes, Share Your Story, there are other online resources available for NICU Parents. These are the main ones that I've found below.
Support for Parents after the NICU - OnlineIn addition to the March of Dimes, Share Your Story, there are other online resources available for NICU Parents. These are the main ones that I've found below.
If you know of others, please add them in the comments section and I can add them to our list of recommended forums.
Resources:
Dyer KA. 2009. After the NICU: Aftercare for NICU Parents. NICU Parent Support Blog.
Dyer KA. 2009. NICU Admission Puts Parents at Risk for PTSD. NICU Parent Support Blog.
Tarkan L. 2009. For Parents on NICU, Trauma May Last. New York Times.
Definition of aftercare. 2007. In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
Dyer KA. 2007. Reflections on NICU Aftercare: Who should following up on NICU parents? NICU Parent Support Blog.
Dyer K. 2005. Identifying, Understanding, and Working with Grieving Parents in the NICU, Part II: Strategies. Neonatal Network. 24: 27-40.
Hynan MT. Perinatal Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Questionnaire (PPQ).
Image: Modified Microsoft Clipart.
Tarkan L. 2009. For Parents on NICU, Trauma May Last. New York Times.
Definition of aftercare. 2007. In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
Dyer KA. 2007. Reflections on NICU Aftercare: Who should following up on NICU parents? NICU Parent Support Blog.
Dyer K. 2005. Identifying, Understanding, and Working with Grieving Parents in the NICU, Part II: Strategies. Neonatal Network. 24: 27-40.
Hynan MT. Perinatal Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Questionnaire (PPQ).
Image: Modified Microsoft Clipart.
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