N.E.S.T. Developmental Follow-up Center

N.E.S.T. serves families on the post NICU journey. Our goal is to walk alongside you in the critical early years.

Who we are

N.E.S.T. serves families on the post NICU journey. Our multidisciplinary team is here to help you from discharge through the age of five. Your pediatrician will follow your child until the age of 18. The pediatrician sees your baby for well checkups, sick visits and immunizations.

Our goal is to walk alongside you in the critical early years. Early intervention proves to make a difference with long-term outcomes. While no one can predict what tomorrow brings we will work you, your child’s pediatrician and other specialists to ensure his/her fullest potential is achieved!

Early arrival babies or those born with medical conditions may grow and develop more slowly. Most will catch up in time. However, some babies may have extra challenges. For these children, the NICU Early Support and care Transition (N.E.S.T.) Center is here to help. We give them that extra nudge so that they can grow and reach their fullest potential. Sometimes preemies and babies who are born with serious medical conditions have a higher risk of future challenges with hearing, seeing, talking, feeding, motor skills and intellectual development. Early intervention can help reduce the risk and improve your child's developmental progress. Cook Children's N.E.S.T. Developmental Follow-up Center provides support, planning and care coordination for these high-risk NICU babies.

What you can expect

The N.E.S.T. Center team begins providing support before your baby is discharged from the NICU, helping you with the transition home. We will schedule your first appointment four to six weeks after discharge. During this appointment, our neonatal development specialist will evaluate your child and identify any potential issues. Because some developmental issues may not be apparent until the first few months or years, our team will continue to monitor your child's growth and development through 5 years of age.

The goal of our program is to provide assessments for earlier identification of:

Developmental delay
Behavioral problems
Socialization issues
Vision, hearing and learning difficulties
Motor skill challenges
Emotional and mental health concerns

N.E.S.T. Developmental Follow-up Center

Who we are

What you can expect

We're here to help