Neonatal Follow-up Clinic

Babies born with a low birth weight can face developmental challenges. Southlake Regional Health Centre's Neonatal Follow-up Clinic is designed to monitor the progress of newborns at risk and provide early intervention from birth to 2 years.  The Neonatal Follow-up Clinic has been established as part of Southlake Regional Health Centre's regionally designated Paediatric and Perinatal centre.  As such, it provides treatment to families residing in York Region and South Simcoe County.

What service does the Neonatal Follow-up Clinic provide?

This clinic provides specialized developmental assessment and recommendations for intervention services that have traditionally been offered only in major city centres. The clinic's mandate includes the promotion of informed choices, teamwork and the development of a health care plan that best suites the unique needs of the baby and family.

A treatment team led by a neonatologist or paediatrician and a registered nurse will work together to evaluate the baby's development. Depending on the needs of the infant, other team members that may be involved include an occupational therapist, dietitian, social worker and psSouthlake Regionalologist.

Each family will be assigned a Case Manager from the treatment team who will work with the family and external community agencies to coordinate the baby's developmental care needs throughout his/her follow-up at the clinic. Should the need arise, the Case Manager will make every effort to answer questions concerning the baby's follow-up needs in between scheduled appointments. The infant's family doctor or paediatrician will remain the primary physician responsible for the baby's overall medical needs.

Clinic Eligibility

Clinic follow-up is available to babies who have been discharged from Southlake Regional Health Centre's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or other NICU's, or who are considered at risk for developmental challenges because of prematurity,  low birth weight or other medical problems.

Do all low birth weight babies require follow-up?

No.  The need for services provided by the Neonatal Follow-up Clinic will be determined by your doctor and the treatment team.

How can a baby and family be referred?

Referrals for eligible infants will be accepted from a neonatologist, paediatrician, family doctor or midwife.

The Neonatal Follow-up clinic is staffed by an expert multidisciplinary team including:

Medical Director
Neonatologist
Paediatricians
Registered Nurse
Occupational Therapist
Psychologist
Social Worker
Dietitian
You, the Family

Consultants to the program include:

Audiologists
Speech and Language Pathologists
Psychiatrists
Physiotherapists
Community Agencies

Hours of Operation

Mondays and Tuesdays
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Location

East of Southlake Regional Health Centre
712 Davis Drive
Unit #100
Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 8C3
Telephone: 905-895-0056
Fax: 905-830-5975

For information on resources available to you during your hospital visit or stay (for example: parking, what to bring, discharge times and other helpful information) please click on Patients and Visitors.