Riley Hospital for Children Neonatology at Indiana University Health provides the most comprehensive care in the state for newborns and infants with medical or surgical problems. Children are cared for in Riley Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at IU Health, and in IU Health University Hospital's Special Care Nursery. Our philosophy of care is family-based, ensuring that the best care is provided in the warmest, most personal manner.
Our Specialists are On-call 24 hours a day.
All of our staff are dedicated to providing gentle, loving care for every baby. The Riley Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at IU Health is staffed 24 hours a day by a specially trained team of doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and social workers who provide the most advanced care available. Other physician specialists in every area of pediatrics are also available around the clock.
Riley at IU Health's neonatologists (newborn specialists) and perinatologists (doctors who specialize in high-risk pregnancies) work together with pediatric cardiologists, surgeons, neurologists, urologists, nurses and many others who are experts in the care of infants and children.
Largest and Highest Ranked Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the State of Indiana
Our neonatology team is ranked in the top 30 children's hospitals in U.S. News and World Report's 2011 – 2012 "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings. Our 55 bed unit is the largest in the State of Indiana. No other Indiana hospital's neonatal intensive care programs made the national rankings.
Advanced Technologies Help Newborns Breathe
Premature and critically ill newborns often have respiratory problems, and we offer the most advanced technologies to treat them. Our doctors and researchers have helped develop several lifesaving treatments for newborns. Riley at IU Health was the first hospital in Indiana to evaluate the use of surfactant therapy, which is now used routinely to treat breathing problems in premature babies. Our doctors also helped test and win federal approval for a technology called high frequency jet ventilation, which helps babies breathe without stressing the lungs. We provide two types of high frequency ventilation, as well as ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). ECMO functions as a heart and lung bypass machine for newborns, oxygenating the blood so the baby's heart and lungs can rest and heal.
At Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, Your Family Comes First
When a baby must stay in the hospital, the whole family can feel the strain, emotionally and financially. We offer a number of support services to help parents know what to expect and to acquaint them with the people, surroundings and many support services at Riley at IU Health.
Each family receives a complete information notebook developed by the Riley Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at IU Health staff and parents whose children have been cared for here. Parents are encouraged to talk with our staff about anything at any time, and to visit as much as possible. When parents do not live nearby, we talk with them frequently via a special toll-free telephone line. Ronald McDonald House at Riley offers rooms at a very low cost for parents of hospitalized children, and many other options for housing are available nearby.
Expert Care Continues as Your Baby Grows Up
Our care for newborns often begins even before the birth and continues long after the baby leaves the hospital. When potential problems are detected during pregnancy, our perinatologists and neonatologists work together with the mother's obstetrician to plan ahead for the baby's health. After the baby is born, we work with the family pediatrician or family doctor to arrange for any special care the baby may need at home. Our parent Care Unit lets parents practice caring for their baby before going home from the hospital. And our Newborn Follow-Up Clinic provides comprehensive, continuing care for babies who are at risk for developmental and neurological problems.
Emergency Transport Throughout Indiana
Many of the babies we care for are born in University Hospital. However, critically ill infants and children throughout Indiana and neighboring states have prompt access to our specialized services via our Mobile Intensive Care Transport Units. Each intensive care ambulance is equipped with the latest technology and staffed by a pediatrician, nurse, and respiratory therapist trained in the care of critically ill children. This allows sick or injured infants and children to begin receiving lifesaving attention almost immediately in their local hospital and during their trip to Riley at IU Health.
