Beneficiary
CHOP’s Newborn/Infant Intensive Care Unit (N/IICU)
At Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), we know that having a baby admitted to the N/IICU can be an overwhelming experience for parents. Every member of CHOP’s N/IICU team works together to create a place of healing and compassion — providing expert care while reassuring parents.
CHOP’s state-of-the-art facility on the Philadelphia Campus is designated as Level IV, which means it offers the highest level of neonatal care for babies with the most complex conditions related to prematurity, birth defects, lung, heart and gastrointestinal conditions, and other disorders.
Comprehensive support
CHOP anticipates every possible need of a N/IICU baby and caregiver. Beyond the core medical providers, other N/IICU team members include physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, child life specialists, social workers, chaplains, music therapists and psychologists.
CHOP features an advanced human milk management center, where a whole team works to make sure every baby gets the nutrition they need to grow and heal.
Reassurance anywhere, anytime
CHOP knows that parents often feel compelled to watch over their sick baby every hour of the day. But as one N/IICU mother has said, “Nourishing yourself by taking time away from the N/IICU is just as important as being present.” CHOP makes it possible to take a break from the bedside through a camera called an “Angel Eye,” which allows family members to see a live feed of the infant using a cell phone, maintaining a vital connection at all times.
Our Inspiring Patients
Amari and Javar’s Story
Conjoined twins Amari and Javar were born weighing 3 pounds combined. They stayed in CHOP’s N/IICU as they grew and gained strength for surgery. When they were almost 11 months old, a team of more than two dozen specialists performed an eight-hour procedure to separate them. Now the twins are happy, healthy and learning how to hit milestones in two individual bodies. They are CHOP’s 32nd set of successfully separated conjoined twins.
Anthony’s Story
Along with a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, Anthony had a heart defect that required open-heart surgery within his first year. He spent eight months in CHOP’s N/IICU. During those challenging months, his parents were juggling to care for his two young siblings at home, which they managed with support from their N/IICU team. Now as a preschooler, Anthony is flourishing and gaining independence.
Arley’s Story
While still in the womb, Arley had a tumor growing on her heart that, left untreated, would be fatal. CHOP experts performed highly complex fetal heart surgery — a procedure that was unimaginable not too long ago — and three months later, Arley was born with a healthy heart. “She looked perfect,” says her mom, Brailey. Arley spent three weeks in the N/IICU, and then she and her parents returned to their home in Tennessee.
Parker’s Story
Prenatally diagnosed with congenital diaphragmatic hernia — a condition where abdominal organs crowd the lungs — Parker faced a critical fight for survival. CHOP’s experts treat approximately 50 children with this condition per year, more than any hospital in the U.S. Immediately after birth, Parker was placed on heart-lung bypass and required an extended stay in the N/IICU. Through it all, Parker was a fighter. Today, at 11 years old, she’s a straight-A student who loves soccer and softball.
About Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Every day, teams at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia make breakthroughs that transform children’s lives. Since our founding in 1855 as the nation’s first children’s hospital, we have made extraordinary discoveries, trained generations of leaders, and advocated for children everywhere. Our pediatric research program, one of the largest in the country, has set a new standard for scientific innovation around the world. As a nonprofit charitable organization, we rely on the generous support of donors who are inspired by our work — and our mission.