A Guiding Hand for Families in Special Care Nurseries - Digital - Book - Page 74
At home
Services
When your baby is discharged from the SCN, a group of health
professionals will continue to advise you on issues like feeding,
growth, immunisation and development, as well as general
baby care.
It is important to remember that job titles and services may vary from
hospital to hospital and you may not come across all the different types of
healthcare workers listed here.
When you go home with baby, you will be informed about the types of help
available to you and who to contact for specific issues. Make sure you have
a list of useful contact numbers in a handy place.
Paediatrician
A paediatrician is a doctor who provides specialist medical care to infants,
children and adolescents. To become a paediatrician, doctors must do an
extra six years of training after they finish their medical degree. There are
general paediatricians and also specialist paediatricians such as paediatric
cardiologists, gastroenterologists, developmental paediatricians, and of
course, neonatologists.
You may require a paediatrician if:
• Your GP or Maternal Health Nurse advises you to see one; or
• You are worried about your baby’s health or development
and would like a specialist’s opinion.
You will need a referral from your GP and you should bring this with you on
your first visit, along with your Child Health Record and any other reports/
results that you may have.
Maternal Health Nurse
Every family in Australia is assigned a Maternal Health Nurse (MHN) when
a new baby arrives home. Yours may have already visited you while you
were still in the Special Care Nursery. Unless your baby still needs to see
a specialist, your MHN will be your main professional support once you
Life’s Little Treasures Foundation | Supporting Families of Premature & Sick Babies
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