NICU Conditions We Treat

If your newborn has a medical condition, it can be stressful. But you can find comfort in knowing that Children's Hospital Colorado has the expertise and experience to care for any condition affecting newborns.

In our state-of-the-art Level IV (four) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on Anschutz Medical Campus and Level III (three) NICU at our hospital in Colorado Springs, we care for the most critically ill infants. Despite caring for much more complex conditions than other NICUs, we achieve some of the best outcomes in the nation. Our neonatal physicians are internationally recognized as leaders in neonatal care and are actively researching new ways to care for these babies.

We have some of the best subspecialists in the country on our campus 24/7, so your baby will never wait for the best care — no matter what condition they have or how rare it is. Alongside neonatologists, pediatric cardiologists care for hundreds of infants with congenital heart defects and other cardiac conditions in our dedicated Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU).

As one of the highest-volume NICUs in the country, we have experience with any condition your baby might be facing. Find a list of some of the common neonatal conditions we treat below.

Premature and small babies

Premature and underweight babies face numerous medical and developmental challenges. Our neonatal providers have undergone specialized training to care for very premature babies and medical complications related to prematurity. Our NICUs provide dedicated small baby care focused on providing the best possible care for extremely premature and underweight babies born before 32 weeks’ gestation. Our team gets regular training on the specialized care that helps these babies thrive and focuses on creating an environment that aids development.

Neonatal breathing conditions

We regularly care for babies who develop respiratory failure after delivery or are born with conditions that limit lung growth. Our neonatal team has special expertise in treating severe breathing conditions, such as chronic respiratory failure. Our NICU is one of only a handful in the country that provides specialized heart and lung support known as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for babies with the most severe form of respiratory failure. We also offer several other types of specialized ventilation care and therapies for serious breathing conditions that aren’t offered at many other NICUs.

We work daily with experts from our nationally ranked Breathing Institute to care for babies with breathing issues. Through dedicated programs like our Pulmonary Hypoplasia Clinic and Ventilator Care Program, we provide a level of breathing expertise you can’t find anywhere else in the Rocky Mountain region for kids from across the nation.

Neurological conditions

In coordination with pediatric experts in our Neuroscience Institute, we treat conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord and nervous system. We will help you understand your baby’s diagnosis, explain treatment options and help your baby grow up as healthy as possible. Neurological conditions commonly affecting newborns include congenital brain malformations, seizures, neonatal stroke and brain injury. Our Whole Body Cooling Program is one of the most experienced in the nation and provides specialized care for brain injury during your baby’s NICU stay and after discharge.

Digestive conditions

When newborns have gastrointestinal issues or complex digestive disorders, we work with experts in our nationally ranked Digestive Health Institute. Together, we will develop the best treatment plan for your child and connect you with the best ongoing care as needed. We care for straightforward conditions like gastroesophageal reflux and complex conditions like intestinal failure. Our neonatal surgical team consists of both neonatologists and pediatric surgeons and is experienced in caring for babies born with intestinal blockages or malformations.

Urological conditions

If your baby is born with a condition (known as a congenital anomaly) affecting the kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra or genitalia, we have some of the best pediatric urologic providers in the country to care for them. Our Pediatric Urology Department has extensive experience treating urologic conditions present at birth. Our NICU works closely with our Kidney Center to provide care for infants with kidney failure and is the only center in the region that can provide both peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis (treatments that perform the function of the kidney) for end stage kidney failure or inherited metabolic conditions.

Genetic conditions

Our experienced team of genetic counselors accurately diagnose conditions before and after birth to best inform your child’s care. They will clearly explain results to you and answer all your questions. Our genetic team can perform whole genome sequence testing, which allows us to identify rare genetic conditions within days of delivery. By identifying conditions as early as possible, we can start your baby’s treatment plan early and achieve better outcomes. Our genetics experts work both in our Colorado Fetal Care Center to diagnose conditions before your baby is born and in our NICU to ensure everyone involved in your baby’s care has the most accurate information.