GOLD Neonatal Conference News
What a great week at GOLD Neonatal 2017! We heard presentations from top speakers in the field as we learned about some of the most pressing health concerns faced by today’s neonatal health care professionals.
To start things off on May 15, Dr. Karel Allegart presented “Neonatal Analgesia: A Balanced Approach”. Delegates had the opportunity to hear data on the long term health implications of pain exposure and to better understand why choices around analgesia are so important. Next, Regina Grazel spoke about screening for congenital heart defects in newborns using pulse oximetry. Her presentation helped delegates deepen their understanding of optimal screening and helped them better recognize signs and symptoms of Critical Congenital Heart Defects. Wrapping up this live day, Dr. Sue Hall presented “Evaluation and Stabilization of the Sick Newborn.” During this in-depth talk, we delved into some of the more common conditions seen in newborns as Dr. Hall covered risk factors, symptoms, and screening.
May 16 saw us with another day filled with fun learning! First up was Dr. Nathalie Charpak’s “Kangaroo Mother Care now and then: 30 years of KMC clinical and research experience in a Developing Country”. We learned about the components of this simple yet powerful intervention and we heard some of the statistics about its impact. Next, Kiera Sorrells spoke on the parent experience of the NICU and improving communication. By learning more about how families experience premature birth and all that it entails, delegates were able to think about ways they can tailor communication and family care. Dr. Nancy Wright was our third and final presenter of the day, speaking on donor human milk in the NICU. Her presentation highlighted the specialized needs of premature infants, factors that make human milk so valuable in the NICU, and the safety of human milk products.
We had another great live day on May 17 with Dr. Nicholas Embleton and Dr. Raylene Philips. Dr. Embleton’s talk, “Feeding preterm babies after hospital discharge: breast-milk, fortifier, supplements and complementary foods,” explored the many factors to be considered during this important growth period. By better understanding how complex neonatal nutrition can be, delegates were able to appreciate the immediate and long-term implications of feeding choices. With Dr. Raylene Philips, we learned about the impact of Family-Centered Developmental Care in the NICU on patient outcomes. Dr. Philips spoke about topics including providing individualized care, considering neuroprotective measures, and treating parents as partners in the NICU. Her presentation offered a great opportunity for delegates to consider how they can create change in their workplace.
This week of live presentations at GOLD Neonatal was one packed with insights, information, and inspiration. We’re excited to have this brand new conference underway and that we can be a part of connecting health care providers with these great speakers.
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