Background: Survival to discharge has improved across all gestational ages, although many survivors have residual disabilities requiring specialized care, expertise by providers versed in the needs of the fragile infants, and a provider who can intervene. Premature infants are at increased risk for poor feeding and growth failure, and at discharge typically are below their healthy tem counterparts in weight.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the major risk factor in graduate neonate from (NICU) that need special care to decrease the incidence of rehospitalization and assessment of growth and development.
Patients & Methods: The study was observational prospective study. It included one hundred neonates who were followed in the first six months after discharge from NICU at Sayed Galal, Universal Hospital. The study was carried out in a period from January2017 to December 2017.
Results: Neonatal Jaundice was the most common diagnosis among the discharged neonates (55.0%), followed by respiratory distress (RD) (18.0%), neonatal sepsis (16.0%), congenital anomalies (6.0%) & HIE (5.0%). Cases of neonatal jaundice and RD growing wall while cases of congenital anomalies and HIE and neonatal sepsis showing slow rate of growth. The mean haemoglobin level at the age three months is 10.88 + 0.94 which is nadir for all cases. Cases of neonatal jaundice and RD have normal Z-score while cases of congenital anomalies and HIE showing failure to thrive and low Z-score. There is no relation between feeding pattern and weight growth .
Conclusion: Follow up of NICU graduates is essential to facilitate optimal care for the child and family. Special concern should be given to patients with congenital anomalies, HIE, and neonatal sepsis in contrary to patients with neonatal jaundice and respiratory distress that are growing well.