Neonatal Special Care Clinic (SCC)

Your child’s wellness journey and care will continue with Children’s Mercy’s Neonatal Follow-up Clinics after your child is discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The Special Care Clinic team is an extension of their care in the NICU.

Our providers will:

• monitor your child’s growth and development until they are 2 years of age.
• work closely with other specialists to help provide comprehensive care just for your child.

Our team is committed to helping you navigate your child’s care in the months after their time in the NICU. The team includes:

• physicians
• nurse practitioners
• nurses
• dietitian
• social worker
• psychologist

Common diagnoses and cases that we care for in our clinic include:

• a history of prematurity
• feeding problems difficulties
• developmental delay
• chronic lung disease
• medical equipment needs
• multiple medications
  
  

Does my child need a pediatrician too?

Yes. Your child should still see a pediatrician, nurse practitioner, or family medicine doctor for:

• regular scheduled well-child checks
• immunizations
• sick visits as needed.

Contact your child’s primary care provider with any questions or concerns until your child’s first visit in the Special Care Clinic. We will provide care for just for your child that monitors and support for the best growth and development.

How to prepare for clinic visits

Make a list of any questions or concerns you may have about your child’s nutrition, growth and development. During your child’s visits, the team will:

• discuss your child’s current feeding and nutrition plan.
• make any changes as needed.

The provider will do:

• a general assessment.
• observe your child’s developmental growth.
• make suggestions and referrals to best enhance your child’s progress.
• discuss medications and equipment.
• making any adjustments as needed.

Bring these items to the visit:

• feeding supplies
• other necessary medical equipment
• quiet toys or comfort items your child may need.
• a notebook or planner, if helpful.
  
  

Enhancing your child’s neurological care

Your child may follow up in the Neo/Neuro Clinic. This is a clinic with a Children’s Mercy neurologist in our Department of Neurology and one of our Special Care Clinic pediatricians or pediatric nurse practitioners. This clinic allows the providers to work together to meet your child’s needs and decreases your number of clinic visits.