Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Contact: 1-855-WVU-CARE (2273)
Our Level IV NICU at WVU Medicine Golisano Children's is the only unit of its kind in the state.
Our team provides complex, comprehensive care to the most critically ill babies in West Virginia and beyond.
As your baby gains strength, our step-down unit offers personalized care to help your child continue to grow and heal. Our goal is your goal – for your baby to be at home, with you.
When your newborn needs specialized care, whether it’s from premature birth or a medical condition, the team at WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s is here for you. We understand that having a child in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a journey.
Our compassionate team of physicians, surgeons, nurse practitioners, nurses, therapists, and staff will be by your side every step of the way We’ll help you understand your baby’s medical needs, so that you can feel empowered, confident, and comfortable as you plan an important role in their care.
Conditions We Treat
We treat and support babies born prematurely and those facing serious health conditions, including:
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- Cardiac conditions
- Extremely low birth weight
- Surgical conditions
- Genetic conditions
- Neonatal abstinence syndrome
- Neurologic conditions
- Prematurity
Treatments and Services
Our treatments and services to help your baby and family include:
- Occupational and physical therapy
- Speech therapy
- A dedicated BPD team who focuses on supporting lung growth, reaching developmental milestones, and offering a safe transition to home for infants with severe lung disease
- Retinopathy of prematurity treatment
- Hearing screenings
- NICU pharmacists
- NICU dietitians
NICU providers and staff are sensitive to the emotional needs of your family in critical situations and we will provide services to comfort and support you, including:
- NICVIEW, a HIPAA-secure video system with real-time monitoring of the baby that family and friends can access
- NICU Cuddler Program offered by WVU Medicine Volunteer Services
- A lactation clinic and an infant feeding room for storage and preparation of formulas and breast milk
- Supportive care services for adjustment to a child’s illness and grief support
- Interfaith chaplains and a Prayer and Meditation Room available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Discharge preparation classes, including CPR and car seat safety
- An annual NICU reunion for graduates and their families to reconnect with staff who cared for them from their first crucial moments
Our Facility
The WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a state-of-the-art, 52-bed unit that provides specialized care for critically ill or premature babies. The NICU also treats newborns with genetic conditions, neurological issues, cardiac complications, and neonatal abstinence syndrome, which occurs when infants are exposed to opioids, amphetamines, or other substances during pregnancy. Each year, more than 1,000 infants receive care from our highly trained and compassionate NICU team.
Resources
The BWB Read-a-thon is a friendly reading competition between NICUs to encourage reading with babies for its many benefits to NICU babies and families.
The Family Advisory Council (FAC) is a collaborative group of staff and family advisors working to make the patient experience the best that it can be.
Friends of the NICU is a support group for parents with babies in the NICU at the WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital.
March of Dimes is a nonprofit organization committed to ending preventable maternal health risks and death, ending preventable preterm birth and infant death and closing the health equity gap for all families.
They support research, education, and advocacy, and provide programs and services so that every family can get the best possible start.
Professional Associations
American Academy of Pediatrics
Our highly specialized neonatologists work closely with obstetricians, surgeons, respiratory specialists, and advanced practice, and neonatal-trained nurses for the best possible family-centered care. The WVU Medicine Children’s NICU has level IV status, based on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Guidelines for NICU level of care.
Vermont Oxford Network
The WVU Medicine Children’s NICU is dedicated to providing the best possible care for newborn infants and their families through our participation in the Vermont Oxford Network (VON), a neonatal performance group with more than 950 NICUs participating worldwide.
BPD Collaborative
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the chronic lung disease that follows NICU care for respiratory distress in premature infants. WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s joins the BPD Collaborative in serving as a catalyst for improving the life-long outcomes of babies who develop severe BPD.